Aim Straight For The Heart
by GeekChic12
Summary: "Jesus," Edward muttered. "Is it so hard to believe I'd want to go on a date with Swan?" A spur-of-the-moment bet will put Bella in a compromising position with the boy next door. They've been best friends since forever, so having his hand down her pants won't change anything... Right?
1. Unclench

**Sooo... hai! This is something that's been sitting in my docs for a little while. I wasn't planning to post it until I updated All Yours, but I'm very close to updating that (my plan is 7/13), so I decided to start posting this one. It's another short one, but it's been fun to write. I hope it's just as fun to read! :)**

 **Huge thanks to Twilly, Sheviking, and Sophiacorgi!**

 **SM owns Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1 - Unclench**

" _Liar_ ," he whispers harshly into my ear as two long fingers swipe across my entrance, feeling the unmistakable wetness there.

Swallowing a groan as he makes small circles, teasing and spreading the moisture around, I bite out, "Fuck you."

But he's right. I am a dirty lying liar who lies. My nose is a mile long. My pants are on fire… in more ways than one.

"Yes, please," he says, pulling back with a lascivious grin and a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

I clamp my legs shut around his hand, and his smug smirk makes me want to slap him. His eyebrows rise in challenge, and I huff.

"All right. Fine. Yes. You've made me—excuse me while I throw up in my mouth a little— _cream my jeans_."

I follow this confession up with exaggerated retching.

"You're so sexy when you fake vomit."

"Why, thank you."

"Are you gonna let my hand go?" He wiggles his fingers against my heated skin, and I bite back a moan.

"Depends. What're you gonna do with it if I do?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he asks with a devilish smile.

I really would.

Damn that perfect hand and fingers.

Damn his perfect lips and perfect eyes. Perfect chin and perfectly imperfect nose. All together, it makes up a perfect face, really. How have I not noticed that before?

Ah, right, well—we've never been in this position before… neither literally nor figuratively.

As he hovers over me, waiting for me to _unclench_ , I start to wonder how exactly I got here—in my best friend's bedroom, with his hand down my pants while his parents make their monthly trek to the Costco in Sequim.

* * *

 **I know it's very short. This is actually a prologue of sorts, but I didn't want the chapter numbers to be all out of whack.**

 **Thank you so much for reading! xoxo**


	2. Deal

**YOU GUYS ROCK! I can't even imagine a better welcome back after not posting anything for a while. I can't thank you enough! Your reviews made me smile so big. :))**

 **For this fic, I took a little bit of creative license with the way first-person shooter games work, and I'm only throwing this in for those who might notice. And let's pretend Port Angeles has a Chipotle (poor things).**

 **Any changes in tense are intentional. Right now, she's going through what led up to the first chapter. Once we get there, it'll switch back to present tense.**

 **The fic I wrote for Fandom For Mental Health Awareness, which I will post when able, was on the heavier side, so this was a way to lighten things up for me a bit. If it's not your cup of tea, it's more than okay to move on. There are plenty of amazing fics to choose from!**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **This chapter should answer the age question that came up in some reviews. :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 2 - Deal**

I've always been one of the guys. As an only child, I ventured out to find playmates, and I ended up finding five brothers in the neighbor kids. I proved I could hang by picking up a snake they'd found in the woods and lunging at Brady, making him scream like a little girl.

From that day on, they took me with them to play in the creek behind Jasper's house. We climbed trees, chased and caught frogs, and dug for buried treasure together. I went home each day with dirt on my clothes, scrapes on my skin, and a smile on my face.

My mother would fuss over me and buy me frilly dresses, but it was futile.

I never could relate well to other girls. When I was a kid, they wanted to play princesses, and I wanted to play pirates. As I got older, they talked about painting their nails and highlighting their hair, and I wanted to talk about the latest first-person shooter for XBox.

We just didn't mesh, so I stuck with my guys. And since they stuck with me too, as we got older, the prissier bitches hated me simply because of that. I have no doubt there are girls out there I could get along with, but none seem to dwell in the relatively small town of Port Angeles.

"You're one of a kind, B," Emmett said to me once, offering me a noogie as he held me in a headlock.

"Thanks," I replied drily. "Now, let me go before I junk-punch you."

He chuckled and released me, only to throw me over his shoulder like I was one of the burlap sacks he hauled around at his parents' feed store. That was one thing that sucked about being the only girl in our group of friends. They could easily toss me around once we got older and they outweighed me by fifty pounds or more.

I could pretty much hold my own, though.

One afternoon during the summer after Edward, Emmett, and I had graduated, we were all hanging out in Jasper's basement, playing Halo 4. I'd just sniped Jacob's character, and he threw his controller down onto the coffee table with a loud curse.

"Pussy," I muttered.

He shot me a hostile glare, but then I bumped my shoulder into his massive arm, and he just laughed it off and picked his controller back up. We got back to the game, and all was good.

And that's why I liked having guy friends. Uncomplicated. Some say guys and girls can't just be friends, but I call bullshit on that little theory. Having grown up together and been there to witness all the embarrassing shit that goes on, there's no way any of us had the slightest inclination to fuck each other.

We talked and joked about sex in a general sense, and I'd heard about some of their hook-ups, but that was it.

There was also a _lot_ of just… boy stuff: bodily noises and smells and… yeah. Hygiene didn't really become a priority for any of them until about freshman or sophomore year, about the time they realized no girl would come within a hundred feet of them, much less ever touch their incessant hard-ons if they didn't start showering on the regular.

Edward, Emmett, and Jasper came in the door after going for a food run, laughing and razzing one another. Cullen's face was crimson, and this intrigued me. I'd never seen him get truly embarrassed, except for that one time he spilled Sprite down the front of his pants in third grade and everyone pointed and called him Eddie Pee-pants for the rest of the day.

Otherwise, he was the epitome of cool confidence most of the time, especially once we hit high school and he made the varsity baseball team as a freshman.

"You know it's true, Eddie-boy," Emmett said. "All the girls cream their jeans for you."

I snorted. Loudly. Couldn't help it.

I had so many memories of all of them, but Edward was my next-door neighbor, so I'd hung out with him the most. I'd seen him cry when his little colony of sea monkeys died. I'd seen him faceplant on the sidewalk after tripping over his own two feet. I'd been there when he first discovered one single hair at the base of his penis, and we'd both stared at it like the alien thing it was to us. It was nothing sexual. We were only eleven, and being the oldest out of our group of friends, he was the first to get any.

The other guys were so jealous, and I thought it was hilarious. I called him Harry Henderson the rest of that summer. (Yes, my parents gave me a proper '80s movie education, which I lovingly and sometimes forcibly passed on to the boys.)

"What, B? You don't think so?" Emmett asked.

"I wouldn't say _all_ the girls," I offered with a raised brow. "And _cream their jeans_? Gross." I gave a dramatic shudder as our Halo round ended. Most kills: Killer B.

I grinned as Jacob and Brady stalked off to the kitchen.

"You should let them win every now and then, B," Jasper chided.

"The fuck I should."

Edward laughed, plopping down next to me on the couch and slinging a leanly muscled arm around my shoulders. "This one doesn't give an inch. Trust me. I know."

I rolled my eyes and pinched his side, making him jump away from me with a girly squeal that made me snort again.

"Anywaaay," I said as Edward sent me a mock glare but then moved back to my side with a smirk. "What were you guys talking about when you came in?"

"All the pussy Edward's gonna get when you two go to UDub this fall."

A pang hit my chest out of nowhere. _What the fuck?_

"Uh-huh. E wouldn't know what to do with a pussy if it fell right on his face," I said out of habit of giving him shit. I really had no idea if he did or not. He'd dated here and there, so maybe he knew a lot more than I gave him credit for.

There was that pang again.

As much as Emmett, Brady, and sometimes Jake talked about their hook-ups, Jasper and Edward were usually pretty tight-lipped, so it was hard to gauge their level of experience. Jasper was just chill about everything in life, and I had no idea why Edward didn't kiss and tell, but I'd never questioned it before. The confidence they both exuded around girls in general, though, hinted at them not being amateurs in the least.

"Want a bet?" Edward retorted without missing a beat, leveling me with those pretty sage greens of his. There was one brown fleck in his left eye, right by the pupil. _Huh._ Never noticed that before.

I gulped but recovered quickly. "Right, Cullen. Like you could handle _this_ ," I replied with a smirk that rivaled his.

The other boys _ooohed_ and snickered around us.

"Handle what?" Edward said, pinching my shirt at the shoulder and giving it a tug. "Can't even tell what you've got under those baggy clothes."

This was sadly true. Being comfortable was all I really cared about as far as "fashion" went. I pretty much wore shapeless t-shirts and basketball shorts in the summer and shapeless sweatshirts and sweatpants the rest of the time, much to my mother's disappointment.

I hadn't even gone to prom, so her dreams of coercing me into wearing a dress for one night were dashed.

"Oh, you wanna see what I got?"

He tilted his head and squinted, perusing my body with his gaze, which almost resulted in making me squirm. Almost. "Eh," he finally uttered with a nonchalant shrug. "Whatever."

Jasper laughed. "He does. Trust me."

Edward shot him a death glare, and I glanced back and forth between them.

Jasper bailed and went upstairs, laughing softly.

Weirdness.

Ignoring that, I asked, "And what exactly would the terms of this bet be?"

His cocky smirk scared me a little. "If I win…" His tongue peeked out to swipe across his bottom lip. "If I get you _wet_ …"

 _Oh, God._

"...you go on a date with me."

"A _date_?" all the rest of us in the room asked at the same time, which now included Jacob and Brady, who'd come back from the kitchen with beer for all of us. Jasper's parents were cool with us drinking at their house as long as we didn't drive.

"Jesus," Edward muttered. "Is it so hard to believe I'd want to go on a date with Swan?"

"Uh, _yeah_ ," everyone but me said this time.

Rude. It's not like I was repulsive. I'd had guys interested in me before.

Okay, one guy.

"She's…" Brady said, trailing off with his hand extended toward me.

"She's _what_?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"You're like… our sister. You're one of the boys," he said nervously as I scowled at him. "I don't…" He trailed off, eyes darting around for back-up, but he was shit out of luck as our friends looked anywhere but at him, letting that bus run him right over.

"Which is it?" I asked, eyes narrowed at Brady. "Am I your sister, or am I one of the boys, thereby making me your brother?" My head-tilt was menacing, and he knew better than to answer. "Besides, I'm not gay," I continued. "Not that I've never considered hooking up with a girl..."

" _Hot_ ," Emmett interjected.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I've dated a guy before."

"You _have_?" they all asked. I noticed Edward's brow wrinkle, and I had this weird urge for a second to smooth it out with my thumb.

Rolling my eyes, I huffed and stood up, jutting one hip out and folding my arms across my chest. "Yes. I dated Garrett Sutherland for like a month last year, not that I would've told any of you."

"Yeah, because we'd beat the shit out of any guy who messed with our Killer B," Emmett said proudly, puffing out his chest.

"Stand down, Tarzan. I messed with him more than he messed with me. Trust."

"I don't doubt that," Jacob chimed in.

I narrowed my eyes at him, and he threw his hands up in surrender before snagging a beer bottle off the table.

"And if I win?" I asked, turning my attention back to Edward.

"Same thing. A date with me," he said, propping his feet up on the coffee table and making a show of crossing them at the ankles, then putting his hands behind his head like he had this date thing in the bag.

I happened to glance at Emmett just as he lost control of his snickering, and he and I both started donkey-laughing. The other guys, sans Edward, who was still in his Mr. Confident pose, laughed quietly to themselves. Jasper came back downstairs, looking at Edward and shaking his head. Emmett and I couldn't stop laughing, and when we looked at each other again, our laughter only grew louder and uglier. I was still standing between the couch and the coffee table, bent over at the waist and trying to catch my breath.

After getting myself under control and wiping the tears away, I asked a frowning Edward, "So anyway, seriously, what would I get if I win?"

His mouth tilted back up at one corner, and I'm pretty sure my nipples tightened.

 _Fucking asshole nipples._

I pushed my folded arms harder into them so they'd get the message to turn the damn high beams off.

Didn't work, as Edward had decided to run his big-ass hand through his riotous hair.

 _Goddammit._

I seriously had no idea what the fuck was happening to me. I'd never entertained the thought of hooking up with any of these guys. That's just not how it was between us, and I didn't want to throw off the dynamic of our group. It's not that I didn't think any of them were attractive. They all were, in fact. But I loved my brothers like… well, brothers.

And Edward had _never_ , to my knowledge, looked at me like he was looking at me now. Like he could see right through my arms and my _Gamers don't die. They respawn!_ t-shirt and easily see my hard as fuck nipples… and like he _liked_ what he saw.

I swallowed against the dryness in my throat.

"Seriously. A date. With me."

I blinked at him for a second and then threw my head back, cracking up laughing again, as did everyone else in the room. Again.

Except Edward. He flipped us all off. Both hands.

After I calmed myself down, I said, "No, for _real_. What would I get?"

Edward cleared his throat and sat up, looking flustered. I guess he'd expected me to jump all over a date with him. But really? This was so bizarre.

And if we did end up going on a date, was he going to expect me to wear a skirt or some shit?

Fuck. That.

Although… if I had on a skirt, that would be easy access. That's why some girls wore them on dates, right?

He does have some long-ass fingers.

Fuck my fucking body for clenching in all the wrong— _right?_ —places at that thought.

"Okay, _wow_ ," Edward said, exasperated. "Uh… I'll buy you Halo 5 when it comes out in October?"

"Already pre-ordered."

"Shit, of course," he muttered. "A little help, guys?" he pleaded, looking around the room.

The peanut gallery was being uncharacteristically quiet during our exchange.

All he got were shrugs.

"Doesn't matter," he said, reclining back and propping his feet up on the coffee table, the picture of cool once again. "I'm going to win anyway."

"Pffft," was my intelligent reply. "You think I can't resist your charms? You forget I've seen your scrawny little body in all stages of its awkward glory—when you had chicken legs, when your head was too big for the rest of you, when you had two left feet. I can channel all sorts of embarrassing memories while you do your worst, like that time you sprung a boner while you were writing on the board in algebra freshman year."

"My _worst_?" he shot back. "Ha! You have no idea..." He shook his head, and the smug face returned. "And if you're thinking about my _boner_ , I'm gonna go ahead and say I have this in the bag."

"Uh-huh. Slow your roll there, smart ass. I know what I want if I win."

"Doesn't matter. You won't get it."

"Will too."

"Will not."

"Will."

"Won't."

"Oh, would you two just bone already and get it the fuck over with?" Jasper shouted, his own eyes widening at his outburst.

After we all stared, open-mouthed at Jasper for a good ten seconds, I recovered and said, "Chipotle. Any time I want it. For a solid month."

"How's _that_ equal?" Edward asked.

"You're so confident you'll win. What do you care?"

A deadly grin spread across his face. "You know what? You're right. Deal."

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading! xoxo**

 **Huge thanks to Sheviking, Sophiacorgi, and Twilly!**


	3. Needy

**It makes me incredibly happy that you're having fun with this one! Thank you so much for your sweet reviews and for following along with me!**

 **Gratitude and bewb gropes to Sophiacorgi, Twilly, and Sheviking!**

 **Again, I took some creative license on how first-person shooters work (for anyone who would notice).**

 **Some have asked about a posting schedule. I'm sorry I can't give a definitive one, but I'll do my best to keep the wait between chapters fairly short.**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 - Needy**

"You couldn't have worn something a little more…" Edward gestured at my body. "I don't know… inviting?"

Just over a week after the deal was struck, his parents made their monthly Costco pilgrimage and took his little sister with them. So here I was, in his room, against my better judgment.

I glanced down at my boxy purple _NOOB SLAYER_ t-shirt and shrugged. "This is me. Take it or leave it."

"Oh, I'm taking it," he shot back with a nod. "Definitely taking it… off of you right now." He started forward.

"Whoa, whoa. Hold up, slugger." I thrust my hand toward him, palm out. "You can't just go in for the kill, dude. It's like sniping," I said, lowering my arm. "You gotta be subtle, wait for your opportunity, and then aim straight for the heart."

A secretive smile crossed his face, but it disappeared in a flash as he pursed his lips. "Right. Okay," he replied with a nod. "Are you cool if I kiss you?"

"Whatever floats your boat, E. But I have to tell you, you won't win this." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Sure I won't," he said with a nod and a mocking smile.

He sounded the opposite of sure about that.

This guy had been close to me a million times, touched me in platonic ways more times than I could count. But I tensed up when he stepped into my personal bubble.

"Relax," he crooned.

His hands were warm on my shoulders, and they trailed down my arms, prying them apart and away from my chest. He placed them around his waist as I tried to will the goosebumps away, and I rested my hands there without any unnecessary gripping.

"Open your eyes."

I hadn't realized I'd closed them. "Why?" I whispered, blinking at him.

"Because I only want them closed when I make you feel so fucking good you can't keep them open."

Oh, he was good.

 _Shit._

I snorted at him for good measure. "That was so cheesy, Cullen. No wonder you don't have a girlfriend."

Edward reached around and pinched my ass. Hard.

"Ow! Dick."

"Don't pretend you didn't like it."

I kinda did, but I scowled at him anyway.

I wanted my month of free Chipotle, dammit. That shit was delicious but _not_ cheap.

His brows pulled together. "Okay, not the look I want on your face when I'm about to kiss you."

"If you thought I'd make this easy for you, you don't know me half as well as you think you do."

Chuckling, he shook his head. "No, Swan. I know exactly how difficult you are." With a cocky tilt to his head, he said, "Doesn't matter. I'm going to win this." He drew out his next words. "I'm going to win this _hard_."

"I think you mean _lose_ hard." I brought my hand up and made an L-shape on my forehead.

All he did was reach up and pull my hand back down to his waist. "You gotta at least give me a fair shot, B."

"Uh, no I don't. And don't give me your wounded puppy eyes. That shit hasn't worked on me since the seventh grade."

Closing his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose, something he did when he was frustrated, at his limit.

Good.

"Is this over yet?" I asked, feigning boredom.

That should've pushed him well over the edge, made him give up.

Or not.

Fire lit up his eyes when he opened them again, and before I could object, he'd grasped my head in his big hands and crashed his lips to mine, backing me into the wall. "This fucking mouth," he grumbled against it, biting at my bottom lip.

 _Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no._

The weight of arousal was already settling low in my abdomen, right about where his dick, already lengthening and hardening, was pressed against me.

I wrenched away from him and stood next to his dresser, panting despite my best effort to seem unaffected.

"You can't just _do_ that," I exclaimed, flinging my hand toward the wall with which my back had just been acquainted.

"Why the hell not?" He raked a hand through his hair and then adjusted himself in his jeans, which was sexy as fuck and not helping my current situation. "You said I could kiss you."

"Not like… like _that_ ," I sputtered.

Edward let out a low laugh, and it spilled down my spine like warm honey.

I was _so_ going to lose.

Motherfucker.

But the bet was to see if he could get me wet. So if I never let him get his hand down my pants, I'd be golden.

Because sadly… I was already a little wet. _Ugh_.

This was not supposed to happen. Ever.

Edward was one of my best friends, maybe _the_ best. I couldn't be thinking about what it would be like to fuck his brains out every time we hung out.

A little whine slipped out of my throat as I imagined just that, and with a gasp, I slapped my hand over my mouth, eyes wide.

"What was _that_?" Edward asked, picking up on the sound instantly. He cupped his hand to his ear and inched closer to me. "That sounded kinda… needy," he whispered, cornering me between the dresser and the wall. He leaned in and let his lips graze my ear. "What do you need, Bella?"

To my absolute horror, I gripped his biceps to keep from crumpling to the floor because my dickhead knees decided to quit life at his husky whisper. And my name… He hadn't called me Bella in as long as I could remember. But why the hell would that turn my knees to jelly?

Did this happen to all girls? Not even Garrett ever had this kind of effect on me.

 _Shiiiit._

I was in so much trouble.

"It's working, isn't it?" Edward stepped back, moving to stand by his bed while I leaned heavily against the wall and hoped my heart would stop racing. "Nah, you don't have to answer. It's written all over you," he said, lying down on his navy blue comforter and folding both arms behind his head in a blatant display of cockiness.

A second ago, I wanted to have his babies. Now, I just wanted to clock him.

With a sweet smile, I batted my lashes and sauntered toward him.

Licking those pretty lips, he sat up, eyes wide as I crossed my arms at the bottom of my shirt and lifted it to make him think I was about to take it off.

"You wish… Punk-ass." With that, I dropped the hem of my t-shirt, flattened my palm against his forehead, and pushed him backward.

"Good thing I like it rough."

Never. Missed. A freaking. Beat.

I growled in frustration and started to back away, but he hooked his legs around mine before I could escape, trapping me against the side of his bed. I almost toppled forward onto him, but he sat up and gripped my waist to steady me.

After a quick glance at my face, he lifted my shirt to expose my stomach, placing a lingering kiss on my skin. My muscles contracted under his lips, and I felt him smile against me. His hands glided up and curled around my ribcage as his lips traveled up above my belly button. "Just stop fighting, and let me seduce you, Swan."

My snort/gag combo turned into a girly giggle when he dug his fingertips into my sides, and I twisted and squirmed, trying to break his hold on me. "You're not playing fair!" I gasped out.

"Who said anything about fair?"

"You did!"

"Yeah, but you shot that down, so…"

"So… I'm going to... pee right here on your... carpet if you don't stop this shit right now!" I rushed out, trying to catch my breath as he continued his assault.

He stilled but left his hands on me—resting on either side of my sports bra.

We locked eyes as his fingertips skimmed along the bottom edge, barely daring to dip underneath, not quite touching my breasts. I caught myself about to lean down and into him so his fingers could reach, but I shut that shit right down.

"Your hands are inside my shirt," I whispered.

"I know," he whispered back.

"It's really fucking weird."

"It's really not."

Exhaling, I slumped my shoulders.

"Just… c'mere," he said, circling his arms around me and dragging me down to the bed before I could get my bearings enough to resist.

God, why did he have to smell so good? I knew he used Axe body wash, and those commercials were no joke. The longer I stayed this close to him, with him touching me, the more likely it was for my clothes to fly right off my body, and that was not conducive to me winning this damn bet.

Edward dipped his face to my neck, pressing his lips just under my ear. He nipped at the lobe, and I gasped softly.

Garrett had never done anything so soft and erotic at the same time. That boy was all paws and slobber, like a mastiff or some shit.

This was so different, and I was liking it way too much.

"Wet yet?" Edward asked, the smirk evident in his voice.

I'd never thought about just how smooth his voice was until today, and it was doing things to me that I was fighting to resist with every fiber of my being.

"Dry as the motherfucking Sahara," I shot back.

"Uh-huh. Should I check?"

"No," I said way too quickly, eliciting an evil chuckle from him.

"I think it's time. You don't wanna be a welsher, do you?" he murmured before skimming his lips up and down my neck. I could do nothing to suppress the shiver that rolled through me.

"Whatever. Just get it over with." Embarrassed and pissed about losing, I turned my head as far away from him as I could, which wasn't very far, unfortunately.

"Aww, come on, B. This is supposed to be fun." He jostled my body in his arms.

"My definition of fun involves controllers and killing digital targets."

Edward's fingers were suddenly at the waistband of my shorts, and I inhaled sharply.

"Well, I think finding out what makes you gasp and moan is pretty fucking fun."

I cut my gaze to him, eyes narrowed. "I haven't _moaned_."

"But you will." Those damn pretty eyes positively sparkled with the confidence of his declaration.

"I think I just sprained my eyeballs from rolling them so hard."

He finally broke and laughed, his warm palm still resting on my stomach. "You stubborn ass."

It felt good to laugh with him. I'd been fighting so hard to keep up my tough exterior, but the truth was, this guy knew me better than anyone. And though this made me feel more vulnerable than I'd ever been with him before, it didn't exactly feel wrong.

My mile-wide competitive streak was what made it so hard for me to relent.

But I had to suck it up and let him win his stupid bet. I'd never welshed on a bet in all the years we'd all been friends. And there'd been a lot of bets between the six of us. None quite like this, but I figured it'd just be one of those things he'd be able to give me shit about for the rest of the summer, and then we'd head off to UDub. But then what? He'd attract girls like flies to honey with that damn baseball uniform, and I'd be left missing my best friend?

Might as well be missing a limb.

The warm hand that was creeping below the elastic of my underwear snapped me back into awareness.

Fuck.

No Chipotle for me.

"Dry as the Sahara, huh?" he croaked, his eyes hooded. He dipped his lips back to my ear. " _Liar_."

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! xoxo**

 **I've made a Facebook group for fic discussion, etc. If you're interested in joining, just search for Geek Is The New Chic. We'd love to have you come play with us!**


	4. Catch and Release

**You guys are making my life with your sweet reviews! Thank you SO much!**

 **Let's see what these kids are up to now in the present. :))**

 **Many thanks to Sheviking, Twilly, and Sophiacorgi!**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4 - Catch And Release**

So now, here we are. Edward's hand is still in my underwear, and I have no fucking clue what to say or do.

"Remember that time we went to First Beach after we ate at the diner and the sun was setting?" he asks suddenly, tucking his face back up underneath my jaw.

"Um…" I swallow hard, trying desperately to ignore the tingles originating from where his breath is washing over my skin and where his hand is currently trapped. "I don't know. We've been to the beach a zillion times growing up."

"This was recent," he says. "You were standing and looking out over the water, and the rest of us were lazing around on driftwood." His lips graze my neck as he speaks, and the goosebumps run rampant over my skin. "The sky was orange instead of gray for once, and your hair was this blazing red. You didn't notice because you were staring so intently, but while you watched the horizon, I was watching you."

My breath catches in my throat. "Why?"

Pulling back, Edward looks into my eyes with an expression I've never seen before. He's looking at me like... he doesn't just want to make me wet or merely take me out on a date… It's like he wants it all with me.

"Because you looked beautiful," he murmurs. "You _are_ beautiful."

My heart lodges in my throat, but my sarcastic comments are like bullets in the chamber, already locked and loaded. They fire off without a second thought and always hit their target. "Did you hit your head or something?"

Frustration pulls at his features, and he shakes his head at me with a heavy sigh before flopping to his back, taking his perfect hand and fingers with him. "Forget it, Swan. You win."

Guilt churns in my stomach for shutting him down so hard. But he was _watching_ me? Because he thinks I'm _beautiful_?

He's one of the only people who's seen me at my absolute worst. He's seen me muddy, dirty, bloody, you name it. He's brought me chocolate and watched Netflix with me when I was on the rag and cramping like the Hulk was squeezing my pelvis in his meaty fist. He's seen me just rolling out of bed with my hair looking like I'd stuck a fork in a socket. And I've purposely breathed my stank-ass morning breath in his face to get him out of my doorway.

We've had burping and farting contests, for fuck's sake.

This just does not compute.

I know I'm not ugly, but had he really hidden his attraction to me _that well_ , or had I just been that freaking oblivious to it?

Or is he just messing with me? He does love a good practical joke. But I don't think he'd take a joke quite this far.

Panic crawls up my throat when Edward starts to get up.

"Wait," I say, reaching out and laying my hand on his arm.

He freezes but doesn't say anything, and the tension between us threatens to overwhelm me. We've never been this uncomfortable around each other, and the foreign feeling makes my heart squeeze.

A shaky breath leaves his mouth when I slide my hand down his toned forearm to his hand and lace our fingers together.

We continue to stare at the ceiling and just breathe. Holding hands.

I'm holding hands with my best friend, Edward, Eddie Pee-pants, Harry Henderson. My E.

And it actually feels like the most natural thing in the world right now.

"I'm not…" I start but don't know how to finish.

He turns his head toward me, but I can't look at him yet. "Not what?"

"You've... dated _cheerleaders_ ," I say like it's a curse-word. "You date girls who wear short skirts and heels to school. You even went on a date with our über-hot valedictorian. I mean, how…?" I trail off, shaking my head.

"How could I be interested in you?"

Closing my eyes, I nod and wait. If this has all been a joke… if he's awakened whatever the fuck this is in me just to yank it away, I think my little black heart might just disintegrate altogether. Would it ever respawn after something like that? Does it have extra lives? Seems unlikely.

The bed shifts, and I suck in a breath as a warm finger runs down my cheek. I open my eyes to see him peering down at me.

"Dude," I say to him, feeling like I'm on the verge of tears and like my heart might implode if he doesn't stop looking at me like that… like the way he looks at a new video game he's been waiting months for before tearing it open. Will he tear me open? "You're freaking me out."

"I know." His lashes lower and fan out on his cheeks, which are covered in a faint blush. Then he laughs, and I'm just about to hurt him when he says, "I'm freaked out too, B, but I know what I want."

"An XBox One? PS4? Sex robot?"

He chuckles and pretends to think. "Well, now that you mention it, a sex robot might be n—"

The flick to his forehead that I expertly administer shuts him up, except for his laughter.

"All right, seriously. I've been doing a lot of thinking, and you're just… You're my best friend, B. Things have been a certain way all these years with all the other guys around, but now we're going to college together, and I don't want to lose you."

My brow wrinkles. "You wouldn't lose me, E. Never," I reassure.

"I know I wouldn't lose you as a friend, but I—"

We both freeze, eyes wide as the garage door downstairs starts rumbling open.

"I thought they were going to Costco," I whisper into the intimate space between us. The drive is an hour each way from Port Angeles, and they've only been gone just over an hour.

"That's what they said," he replies, digging his phone out of his pocket and glancing at the time. "Dad even took the afternoon off for it since they're busy all weekend."

Carlisle _really_ loves Costco.

Almost as much as I love Chipotle.

Dammit.

My face twists in disappointment.

"You're thinking about losing the bet right now, aren't you?" Edward says. "That's your 'I want Chipotle but can't have it' face."

"Okay, that's freaky."

Chuckling, he taps his temple and rolls away from me, hopping up and watching me try to smooth down my disheveled hair. He smirks at me while I adjust my clothes, and I flip him off.

Edward laughs harder but offers me a hand to haul me off the bed. He's a solid wall of lean muscle in front of me once I'm on my feet, and he settles his hands on my hips, gazing down at me. "We'll talk more later, okay?"

Dazed, I nod, and he leans down to leave a soft kiss on my cheek.

Esme calls Edward's name from somewhere in the house, but we don't have to scramble. It's not unusual for me to be here or even for me to be in Edward's room. Things have only ever been platonic between us before, and his parents trust us.

Whoops.

We hear someone in the hall, so Edward goes to open his door, and I trail behind him, totally _not_ checking out his tight round ass in those jeans.

Esme is shutting Emily's door as we emerge into the hallway.

"Hey, you two," she says.

"What's up?" Edward asks, succeeding easily at appearing nonchalant while I fidget at his side.

"Emily was feeling sick in the car, so we had to turn around. Your father is heartbroken." She laughs softly, and Edward and I both snort.

"She okay?"

"Yeah, she'll be fine. She's just having her first period, and her cramps got really bad all of a sudden, so she begged to come home."

"Aw, Mom." Edward cringes. "I don't wanna hear that shit."

Esme ignores him. "My baby is growing up." She sniffles and heads to the stairs but turns back at the last second. "Oh, Bella, honey, are you staying for dinner?"

I glance at Edward, feeling weird and shy now that we've kissed and he's had his hand down my pants, but he flashes me an easy smile and throws his arm around my shoulders like we're best friends again and nothing more.

"Um." I chew on my lip, and Esme tilts her head, studying me. She's probably never seen me look so unsure. I don't think I've ever _been_ so unsure.

I need to know what Edward was about to say when we were interrupted, but I don't think I can sit through dinner with his family and pretend everything is the same as it's always been.

"I think I'll head home, actually. But thank you," I add hastily.

"Are you feeling okay, Bella?" she asks, casting a questioning glance at Edward and then back to me.

"Oh, yeah. Fine. Cramps, you know," I lie and clutch my lower abdomen.

Edward removes his arm instantly, putting several inches of space between us, and I laugh at him and slug him in his bicep.

"Ah, yes, well," Esme says, smiling at me with sympathy. "Get some rest, sweetheart. I hope it passes quickly."

"Thank you."

Edward turns to me when she's gone, glancing down at my crotch. "You're not really about to—"

"No! God, you're so dramatic." My words come out on a laugh, and I push against his arm but only succeed in making him shift his weight. "I had to tell her _some_ thing, though. She could totally see something was up. I can't even act normal around you now. Thanks for that." I punctuate my statement by pinching his nipple hard through his gray t-shirt.

Instead of retaliating like I think he will, he shocks me by humming and backing me into the wall, pinning my arms above my head. "I wasn't kidding when I said I like it rough."

All I can manage is a shaky exhale as he leans down and runs his nose up my jaw line.

"Stop," I finally croak out. "I should go."

"You don't want me to kiss you again?" he asks, letting his lips touch under my ear.

Despite my best effort, a whimper escapes me. But I shake my head, and he rears back as if I've slapped him, releasing me. "Not when your mom could come back or your sister could come out here at any second and see us." This is all so new, and I can't make sense of everything I'm feeling. I don't need his family catching us making out added to the mix.

"Oh." He steps back, glancing down the hallway. "Yeah, you're right. Uh…" He rubs the back of his neck, looking as unsure as I feel. "See you at Jake's tomorrow, then?"

Confusion knits my brows together. I thought he'd want to talk some more tonight.

"Um. Okay. I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Yep."

He gives me an odd salute as I turn to head toward the stairs, and when I glance back, he's disappeared into his room.

Okay, that was fucking weird. He seemed pissed at me for not letting him maul me right there in the hallway for anyone to see, but why would he want to risk that?

I trudge home, wondering how this will play out. Is Edward actually into me now? Has he been for a long time? Or maybe I'm his fall-back girl? But I'd think he'd want to play the field in college first.

So. Confused.

As I climb my porch steps, my mind tries to fill in the blank he left when that stupid fucking garage door opened. " _I know I wouldn't lose you as a friend, but I…"_

I can't think of anything that makes sense.

But I _what_?

 _I think we should go on this date and see how things go?_

 _I want to kiss you again?_

 _I want to stick my hand down your pants again?_

That, I could totally live with, but shit. It's _Edward_.

It's obvious now, that I'm attracted to him. And he said he thinks I'm beautiful. And then there was the kissing and touching.

And the massive erection.

Maybe it's all just a physical thing for him.

Maybe he's still a virgin and doesn't want to go to college with his proverbial cherry still intact.

I shake my head at that thought. Edward? A virgin? Right, Bella.

Wishful thinking, I guess, since every girl in our school all but swooned in his presence and hung all over him ever since his acne cleared up and he got his braces off.

Every girl but me, that is.

Maybe that's all this is. I'm the one girl he thinks he can't have.

Guys love the chase, right?

But what happens if I let him catch me?

Will I be for keeps, or is this some kind of catch and release program?

"Hey, Bells," Dad says from his recliner on my way through the living room to the stairs.

"Hey," I mumble. "What's for dinner?"

"Spaghetti."

"Again? Ugh."

"You want something else, you can cook it."

I snort. "Yeah, right."

I can't even make toast without burning it, and neither can Mom, who I assume is out shopping or something equally boring.

"I'll just make a sandwich or something," I tell him, turning toward the kitchen.

"More leftovers for me, then."

I swear, that man eats spaghetti twice a day, five days a week.

Disgusting.

Lucky for me, I make killer sandwiches.

After whipping one up with turkey and avocado, I go to my room and sit at my desk, laying my phone next to my plate to make sure I won't miss it if Edward texts or calls.

Oh, maybe he'll come over. An excited flutter dances in my chest at that thought.

 _Ugh_. When did I start caring about this stuff?

 _Probably right around the time Edward Cullen stuck his amazing tongue down your throat._

Damn that boy for turning me into a girl.

* * *

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	5. Change

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* * *

 **Chapter 5 - Change**

The next night is Saturday, and since we try to rotate whose house we invade, our group of friends is always congregated in Jake's basement on Saturday nights, unless one of us has a date.

So yeah, I'm always here.

Even when I was doing whatever with Garrett, I always found obscure times, like when all the boys were at practice or something, to hang out with him. Keeping the thing with him on the down-low was a must because these guys are crazy-protective of me.

Come to think of it, Garrett was either really brave or really stupid to even try to date me.

Probably the latter.

Every single tiny hair on my body stands at attention when Edward walks in, and I freeze, side-eyeing him from my seat on the sagging couch, where I'm nursing my first beer of the evening. I'm aware of him in a way I've never been before, and it's as if he's whispering touches all over me from across the room.

My spine straightens as he slaps Jasper on the back and walks my way, lifting his chin in greeting to the other guys.

Why is that so sexy? That little chin lift.

 _Ugh._

Heat creeps up my cheeks when he sits next to me but not close enough to touch me, and my _I don't age. I level up._ t-shirt suddenly feels too tight, even though it's two sizes too big.

I didn't hear from him at all last night or today, and I don't know what to make of that. We text back and forth most days, especially if we don't see each other for whatever reason. And to be honest, I half-expected him to climb in through my window at some point last night, although he hasn't done that since we were about eleven.

I'd even lain awake half the night, anticipating it.

Idiot.

Edward's arm brushes mine when he leans forward to grab a bottle of beer off the coffee table, and goosebumps decorate that arm and prickle up over the back of my neck.

He doesn't even look at me and just starts bullshitting with the guys, and I want to scream.

Instead, I stand and almost power-walk toward the hallway, which leads to a guest bedroom, utility room, and bathroom.

"You can't be breakin' the seal already, B!" Em shouts from one of the recliners.

The other guys boo me, and Brady says, "Amateur!"

After I turn and flip Brady off, I chance a glance at Edward, who's quiet and watching me with concern all over his face.

Concern for what, though?

Thoughts jumbled, I give him the best smile I can manage, which might actually be a grimace, and make my way to the bathroom.

Hands buried in my hair, I pace the small space, trying like hell to make sense of everything.

This was exactly what I didn't want to happen. I didn't want to throw off the dynamic of our group. It feels like everything's gone sideways now, and I have no idea how to act around the people I've been best friends with almost my entire life.

But Cullen sure doesn't seem to have the same problem.

He's acting like yesterday never even happened.

Deciding that's exactly what I'll do too and ignoring the tightness in my chest, I flush the toilet and wash my hands to keep up the charade.

Em's right. I never break the seal on the first beer. That would just be stupid. And weak.

I'm anything but weak… except when I come out and see Edward's long body leaning against the opposite wall. My knees get wobbly when he takes a step toward me, cupping my cheek in his warm hand.

"You okay?" he murmurs.

Releasing a shaky breath, I shrug. "I don't know," I tell him honestly, looking up into his pretty eyes, all fringed with thick lashes. "I don't seem to know much of anything anymore," I say with a derisive laugh at myself.

"Change is hard for you, B. It always has been."

He knows me well, and he's right. The transitions from elementary to middle school and middle school to high school were tough for me. I withdrew, and it took me a while to find my footing each time.

And any time one of the guys has brought a new girl around who thought she could infiltrate our group, I admit my claws have come out. Thank God Em's new girlfriend, Rose, doesn't care to hang around much when we're all together.

And I didn't handle it well when my grandma died last year, though I doubt anyone who's close to their grandparents would. And mine was the best. She never tried to change me; she just loved me as I am.

"Yeah, I guess so. Um." I chew on my thumbnail, and he drops his hand from my face.

I miss the contact instantly.

"So why haven't I heard from you since yesterday afternoon?" I ask, regretting it the second his face twists into a smirk.

"Aww, did you miss me, Swan?"

"No. Shut up."

He laughs at me.

After ignoring me since yesterday... That. Dick. _Laughs_ at me.

The way he doubles over when I punch him in the gut is highly satisfying, and I walk back out to the den with a genuine grin on my face.

"Beating up on E again, B?" Brady asks, knowing that satisfied smile all too well.

"Of course," I reply with a shrug. "Dude was creepin' outside the bathroom." I give a dramatic shudder that makes the boys chuckle.

Unconsciously, I lick my lips as I watch Edward emerge from the hallway, rubbing his stomach.

I wanna rub his stomach. And other things.

Shit, this is _so_ weird.

I shift my gaze away and look at each of our close friends in turn, stopping lastly on Jasper, who's giving me a knowing smirk.

"Shut up, J," I grumble, and he holds his hands up in surrender, leaning back in his seat with a full-blown grin on his face now.

Oh, God. I wonder if Edward told him anything. Shit, maybe he told all of them that he's had his hand in the cookie jar.

It didn't occur to me until now because he never talks about shit like that, but maybe he just doesn't talk about it with _me_.

Trying not to feel hurt since I don't know if that's the case, I look around the room and scrutinize each guy's demeanor, but none of the others are paying attention to me anymore. They've gone back to watching highlights from the Mariners/Red Sox game that I watched with my dad earlier today.

When Edward, Jasper, and Brady started playing baseball, I didn't have much of a choice but to watch, and I ended up really getting into it. My dad loves it when I watch games with him now, and Mom just rolls her eyes and goes to crochet or some shit.

I bet if she actually tried, she'd enjoy the game too. The anticipation of the wind-up. The pitch. The crack of the bat and the excitement of seeing how far the player can get around the diamond.

Not to mention there are firm asses in tight pants all over the damn place: a definite plus.

A vivid image of Edward in those very pants blazes across my mind, and I drop to the couch, clenching my thighs together. I've seen him play countless times, and I don't think it's ever affected me in person like it is now, just imagining it.

What has he _done_ to me?

I slug him in the arm as soon as he reclaims his spot beside me, just for the simple fact that he's turned me into a lust-crazed mess in one freaking day.

"Jesus," he mutters, rubbing his arm now. "So violent."

Without responding, I move to the end of the couch, and when I glance over at him, he actually looks a little hurt at my putting distance between us.

"Yo, Ed," Emmett says, diverting Edward's attention to him and away from me.

I'm both relieved and disappointed, and all of these paradoxical feelings when it comes to Edward are starting to piss me off.

"What's up?" he asks.

"Rosie's sister is still bugging me for your number. You wanna hit that or what?"

Emmett looks back at the TV, but Jasper bolts upright in his chair when Edward shoots me a panicked-looking glance.

That boy doesn't miss a thing.

 _Shit-balls._

Edward isn't looking at me anymore, but Jasper sure as fuck is, so I try to look as nonchalant as possible, even though I'm dying inside.

If Edward says yes, I'll have to throat-punch him. And that would surely cause issues for his smooth-as-silk voice.

But Tanya is _exactly_ the kind of girl he usually goes for. She's exactly the kind of girl anyone in their right mind would go for, to be honest. Not only is she tall and beautiful with a killer rack, but she's actually nice and smart too.

Hell, I'd do her.

"Nah, that's all right," Edward finally says.

Jasper doesn't miss the way my shoulders sag in relief, and he smirks at me while I give him my best bitch-face.

Too bad it's not very effective after all these years.

Emmett swings his head back toward Edward, looking all kinds of adorably confused. "No?"

Edward shakes his head. "I wouldn't wanna cause problems between you and Rose if things didn't end well for Tanya and me."

 _Tanya and me._ Ouch. These fucking pangs can suck it.

And is that really his only reason? Could it be partly because of what went down in his room yesterday? Just because I technically owe him a date doesn't mean he's not free to be with someone else.

Seriously. _Ow_.

I think I need to go see a cardiologist about this shit.

Emmett laughs. "Dude, I really think she just wants to hook up. She knows you're going to Seattle in the fall, and she's got another year of high school left. No fucking strings, man!" he exclaims, thumping Edward in the chest.

"Why the fuck is everyone beating up on me today?" Edward grumbles.

"I'm just sayin', dude. If she's _anything_ like Rose in the sack, you _definitely_ want to hit that." He waggles his eyebrows at Edward, and bile rises in my throat.

If sex is all Edward wants from me, then he might as well get it from Tanya instead. She's probably experienced and wouldn't be a bumbling moron or somehow accidentally rack him in the balls while he's trying to mount her, like I most likely would.

When Edward hesitates with a reply, I stand abruptly, and all eyes swing my way.

"I think I'm gonna take off," I blurt out, too uncomfortable to relax and enjoy the evening with my boys like I normally do.

"You sure?" Edward asks quietly at the same time Em asks me if I've got a hot date.

"Yes and no."

Emmett cocks his head at me, so I clarify.

"Yes, I'm sure, and no, I don't have a hot date."

"Oh, speaking of dates, what happened with that bet you guys made a couple weeks ago?" Em asks. "Did you cream your jeans for ol' Cullen there, B?"

He guffaws, and I notice Jacob shift uncomfortably in his seat as my face blazes, no doubt turning lobster-red, and I curse myself internally for not controlling my reaction.

I open my mouth to say something, although I'm not sure what, exactly. I figure "fuck off" would be the first thing to come out, but Edward saves me.

Only not in the way I expect or maybe want.

"You kiddin', Em? Our Killer B here's made of stone." He watches my face for a reaction. "No date for us."

Swallowing thickly, I nod, looking into his eyes. "That's right. No date for us."

Edward flinches but recovers quickly, letting his sexy lips curl up at the ends.

"I'll walk you out," Jake says.

"That's o—" I start, but Edward interrupts.

"No, I'll walk her out."

He stands in front of me, facing off with Jake, and Jasper eyes them both in that shrewd way he does, studying and cataloguing information for later use.

Edward and Jacob stare each other down for a long moment. Jake's head tilts slightly, and his eyes narrow in a questioning way.

There's a subtle nod from Edward, but I don't know what any of it means, and I just want to go home.

"Well, have fun measuring your dicks." Turning, I walk away from Edward's back, around the couch and toward the door that leads to the open garage. "I'm out."

"Bella, wait," Edward calls as I'm almost out the door.

"Nah, I'm good. See ya." I rush outside and down the street to my house, and when I look behind me, I'm simultaneously relieved and disappointed once again, because no one is following me.

* * *

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	6. No Idea

****If you have not read chapter 5, please go back one. I just posted it yesterday.**

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* * *

 **Chapter 6 - No Idea**

I'm on the verge of actual tears as I lie awake in bed. Edward sent me a text right after I left, asking if I was really okay, to which I lied and said yes. But a big part of me was still hoping he'd follow or come over shortly after.

He's probably with Tanya right now. It's not like I'm his type at all, and she's so ready and willing. He won't have to work at it.

As my brain conjures up images of her long legs wrapped around his fine body, I cringe into my pillow. I try to will my mind to shut off and sleep, but it insists on keeping up the torture, imagining her strawberry curls splayed on his dark blue pillow.

Clutching at my twisting stomach, I roll toward my clock and try to focus all my attention on the glowing green numbers.

At eight minutes to midnight, I hear it.

My window rises with a squeak, and a thud follows. And then a mumbled, "fuck."

My lamp washes the room with a warm orange glow as I flick it on, and I stare at Edward as he gracefully rises to his full height from the floor.

"That's a lot harder now than it was when I was eleven," he says. "You'd think it'd be the other way around, what with all these muscles."

He flashes me a winning smile, and I roll my eyes.

"What are you doing here, Cullen?" I ask, doing my best to mask the hurt I've been feeling and my excitement at seeing him in my room. "I thought Tanya was ready to let you ride her like Seabiscuit or some shit."

Edward laughs at me, and I cross my arms over my chest and glower at him.

"True enough." His eyes burn into mine from across the room. "But she's not who I want."

"She's not?" I squeak.

He shakes his head, stalking toward my bed.

A leaf dislodges itself from his artfully chaotic hair and floats to the floor, and we both snicker, breaking the thin sheet of ice that'd been forming between us since yesterday.

Edward drops the cool act and tells me he fell on his first attempt up the tree outside my window. He wasn't very far up, but he scraped his elbow up pretty good on the bark.

Making sure to miss the creaky floorboard in the hallway, I go to the bathroom and come back with Neosporin and Band-Aids for him. He sits down on my bed and holds his arm up for me to inspect.

"You have Darth Vader Band-Aids?" he asks as I open a packet.

"Pssh. Of course."

I watch his Adam's apple bob up and down along his sexy neck as he laughs, but my gaze snaps back to his face when he breathes out, "Ahh, I love you."

We both go stock-still and gawk at each other, eyes wide, until I finally break the staring contest and go back to bandaging his cuts, ignoring what was probably nothing more than a platonic declaration.

"There. Fixed your boo-boo," I tell him, patting him on the head.

"Ha, ha," he replies, rolling his eyes.

After throwing away the trash and setting the tube of medicine on my dresser, I have no idea what to do next. I stand awkwardly next to my dresser, leaning one arm on it and then pulling it off when I realize how stupid I look. Then I just fidget with my hands in front of me and look anywhere but at Edward...

...Edward, who is _on my bed_ right now. In the middle of the night. Post-having-his-hand-in-the-honeypot.

"Bella," he murmurs, interrupting my spiraling thoughts.

He beckons me over with a head-tilt/chin-lift combo, and seriously, _ugh._ Can he stop being sexy for like two seconds?

I try to imagine myself being sexy like that, sauntering toward him all slow-motion-and-wind-machine style.

But no. I stumble a little and then just kind of leap forward, spinning and sitting and trying not to throw up from nerves.

He's been in my room a million times, but the electricity and anticipation snapping between us makes it feel like this is the first time.

Edward leans toward me, and I find myself tilting my face up to him, wanting his mouth on mine more than anything right now. He smells like beer and evergreen and a hint of fabric softener, and for some reason, it's just about the best combination of scents ever.

His breath ghosts over my lips, and I'm just about to let my eyes fall shut when he says, "Are you ready to talk now?"

Rearing back, I give him an incredulous look. " _Now_? I was ready last night, but you totally ignored me."

"Ignored you? Did you text me?"

I shift uncomfortably. "Well, no."

"Call?"

"No."

"Then how was I ignoring you?"

I huff at his smug half-smile. "You were acting all weird when I left, and I thought you were mad at me for not kissing you in the hall, and you said we were gonna talk later, and I thought later meant later that day, not… Ugh. I sound crazy, don't I?"

He holds his thumb and forefinger a half-inch apart. "A little."

Exhaling a long breath, I prop my pillows up and move to lean against my headboard. Edward shifts around too until we're both cross-legged and facing each other.

"It's all your fault, you know," I tell him.

"What is?"

"Me being crazy now."

"Oh, yeah?" he asks with a laugh. "I can't wait to hear this."

"You've turned me into this… this... _girl_." I cross my arms and huff at his laughter. "I hate it."

Edward leans in and husks, "Trust me, Swan. You've always been a girl."

I narrow my eyes at him. "You know what I mean. Even when I was doing whatever with Garrett, I didn't really care if he called me or not. And when we did get together, it was fine but not…"

When I don't continue, Edward asks, "Not what?" His brows are furrowed, but I can't quite tell if it's in irritation or curiosity. Maybe both.

"It…" I'm so uncomfortable talking about this stuff, and I fidget with the edge of my comforter, glancing shyly at Edward. "Well, it wasn't like yesterday. Let's just leave it at that."

A wide grin stretches across his face.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I mutter, looking off to the side.

His fingers are warm on my face as he turns my head back toward him. I keep my eyes lowered, unsure and embarrassed.

"Look at me, Bella... Please?"

In the end, I can't deny him, especially when my name rolls off his tongue like that.

His gaze on me is intense and full of want when I meet his eyes. "It hasn't been like that for me either," he murmurs. "With anyone."

"No?"

One side of his mouth tilts up. "No."

"Huh."

He laughs and looks at me expectantly. Maybe he thinks I can read his mind or something, but I still have no freaking clue what's going on or what he wants from me.

After another beat of silence, he leans forward, pulling me toward him with those long arms. He extends his legs, placing one foot on the floor, and situates me to sit close to him.

And then he hugs me.

It lasts longer than a hug between friends has any business lasting, and as he pushes his nose into my hair and breathes me in, I realize he has no intention of releasing me any time soon.

I'm pretty sure I don't mind.

Relaxing into him, I lift my arms to circle his waist, and he lets out a satisfied little hum.

"Why'd you wait so long to come over tonight?" I ask, reveling in his warmth as he holds me and not even caring how that question sounded.

Edward lets out a low laugh that makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "Well, first, the guys were interrogating me, wanting to know what was up with you."

"Aw, shit," I complain. "What'd you say? I mean, you already told them no date, so… Why _did_ you say that, anyway?"

He shrugs. "What happened between us… It felt private, y'know? And I didn't think you'd want them to know, so I didn't want to risk embarrassing you and running you off. Although the running-off part happened anyway," he finishes sadly.

"Sorry. I just… all that talk about you and Tanya… I didn't like it," I whisper, feeling exposed.

I bury my face in his chest, and his thumb rubs soothing circles just under my tank. "Honestly? I didn't either."

Tightening my hold on him, I expose myself a little more by saying, "Good because I really didn't want to have to junk-punch you for jumping into bed with her after what happened with us."

Edward laughs. "Yes, I'm glad you won't be forced to junk-punch me."

I snort and ask, "So the guys… They don't know anything?"

"No, don't worry. I mean, Jas knows, because that perceptive motherfucker knows everything. But Jake disappeared into his room without saying much, and I deflected Em and Brady."

My relieved breath gusts over his collarbone, and I swear he shivers. "Okay. So then what happened?"

"So I hung out for a while and let Jas smile his smug-ass smiles at me," he says with a laugh, and I giggle at the image in my head. "I knew you were lying when you said you were okay, but I didn't know if it would piss you off even more if I came after you right then, so yeah. I wanted to give you a little more space to just deal." He heaves a breath. "And then I got this idea in my head that it'd be… I don't know, romantic or some shit if I climbed in through your window, so I had to wait until I knew your parents would be asleep."

At my nod, he brushes a hand down my hair, and it's just so fucking sweet I can barely stand it.

"So is this… er…" I stutter. "What is this?"

With a soft squeeze, Edward releases me, and I reluctantly move back to my spot against the headboard. Missing his warmth, I tug on the comforter, which he's still sitting on, and he pops up so I can pull it up to my shoulders. He walks toward my window, and panic grips me. Was my question totally out of line? I thought it was a reasonable thing to ask.

"Wait. You're leaving?"

"Nah, you can't get rid of me that easily. I just wanna get more comfortable."

I sag in relief as he kicks off his shoes and settles onto the bed beside me.

"So let's start with what I was about to say when we were interrupted yesterday."

Was it really only yesterday? It feels like I've waited a month for this.

When I let my arms rest on top of the covers, he takes my hand in his, lacing our fingers together. I have the strangest urge to squeal, and I don't like that one bit.

"Okay," I say with a nod, doing my best to not just toss my underwear directly at his head. He's not just _on_ my bed anymore. He's pretty much _in_ my bed. "But why didn't you want to talk last night?"

"Well, like I said before, I know change is hard for you, and I wanted to give you a little time to let things sink in, even though I didn't get to say everything I wanted to say. The way you acted at Jake's tonight made me think you might be more ready to hear it now." His thumb runs over the back of my hand, and I could really get used to this tingling sensation. "I know you'd never looked at me as anything more than a friend before yesterday, but I…"

He inhales and exhales a long breath, and I groan when he doesn't continue speaking. "You can't stop there _again_."

Edward laughs and squeezes my hand. "Okay," he says. "Here it is. I want more. With you... Is that weird?"

"Uh. Yes."

He snorts. "Weird-because-you-find-me-disgusting weird? Or weird-because-you'd-never-considered-dating-me weird?"

My eyebrows pull together. "The second one. I think."

"You really had no idea?" he asks.

I glance down at our linked hands and then focus back on his beautiful face. "No idea about what?"

"That I'm in love with you."

* * *

 **Kind of a cliffie but a happy one, right? :D I asked in my group about posting now vs later, even if there's a cliffie and there may be a bit of a wait for the next one (I have family visiting). And the overwhelming majority said, UH, YEAH, NOW, lol. So I hope you enjoyed! Thanks so much for reading xoxo**


	7. Be Safe

****Sorry for the double posting! This chapter disappeared somehow, so if you've already read it, please disregard.**

 **Thank you so so so so much for reading and reviewing!**

 **Huge thanks to Sophiacorgi, Twilly, and Sheviking!**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7 - Be Safe**

" _You really had no idea?" he asks._

" _No idea about what?"_

" _That I'm in love with you."_

I suck in a breath and proceed to choke on my own saliva. Edward hoists me up by our joined hands to lift my arm over my head and pat me on the back like I'm a toddler.

After my choking fit, I stick a finger into my ear and start wiggling. Then the other one.

"What're you doing?" he laughs out.

"I must have something stuck in my ears because I could've sworn you said you're in _love_ with me, and that's just…"

"Amazing? Wonderful? The best thing you've heard in your life?"

I flop backward again. "I think I need a minute to process this."

"Can I stick my hand down your pants again while you do that?"

"Um…" I actually wouldn't mind. It would distract from the massive cloud of confusion in my brain.

Edward snorts. "Just kidding. I'm not a total pig. But you let me know when I can, okay?"

My eyebrows shoot up my forehead. "Awfully sure of yourself there."

"Now that I've seen how much you like it? How much you like _me_? Yep."

"I never said I liked you."

"Your eyes gave you away. And the flood in your underwear," he adds with a smug smile.

That earns him a hard smack to the chest, but he traps my hand there with his and looks into my eyes.

His laughter dies down as he runs his thumb over the backs of my fingers. "Okay, okay. I'm serious, B. I've been trying for a while now to figure out a way to get you to go on a real date with me without getting punched in the balls, and then the bet idea popped into my head, so I ran with it. Crazy?"

Flexing my fingers against his solid chest, I shrug. "A little." The tug at the corners of my lips betrays me.

"Crazy-good? Or crazy-if-you-ever-come-near-me-again-I'll-twist-your-nuts-off?"

I raise an eyebrow at him and smirk. "I'm touching you, aren't I? That should answer your question."

His one-sided smile that makes all the girls sigh makes an appearance on his face, and before I can tease him about it, he leans down and kisses me.

He doesn't go all out like he did yesterday when he was trying to make a point. This kiss is deep and slow, but it's like I can feel it all over, racing through my veins. I keep expecting him to pause to suck up all his saliva like Garrett did when he was above me like this, but no. My best friend knows how to freaking kiss. And I'm following his lead, tilting my head just right, sliding my tongue against his, sucking on his bottom lip as he pulls back.

"Holy fuckballs," I breathe out, blinking up at him.

"My thoughts exactly." He smiles like he just hit a grand slam.

Edward grips the top edge of my comforter and pulls it down to reveal my body. Resting his warm hand on my stomach, just under the hem of my shirt, he asks, "Is this okay?"

"Yes," I whisper.

He watches my face intently while his hand works its way over my heated skin until it's at the edge of my sports bra, and I have a moment of déjà vu from yesterday. "You wear a sports bra to bed?" he asks.

"Yeah." I shrug. "That way, if I get hot, I just pull my t-shirt off and still have something covering the goodies."

His eyebrows lift and lower once at that, like he's agreeing with the way I described my small-ish tits. Then his eyes question me, and at my nod and shaky exhale, his fingertips dip beneath the fabric.

It's too restrictive, so he pushes it up until my breasts pop out the bottom. My laugh ends on a gasp when he palms one breast and leans down to bite the other nipple through the fabric of my t-shirt.

"Shit, that feels good." My arms are glued to my sides, and I grip my sheet with both hands, arching toward him the tiniest bit so he'll hopefully give me more.

More, more, more.

"More," I groan out loud without conscious thought. Thank God my parents' bedroom is downstairs and on the other side of the house.

"Mmmm," he hums against me, still teasing that nipple and making it hard as a pebble. "I think it's time for this shirt to come off."

"Um… Okay, but I'm telling you, I'm not stacked like the chicks I've seen you with. And I'm like, pale as a ghost. And—"

"Swan," he says, interrupting and placing one hand over my mouth. It's the hand that had been squeezing my right breast, so I'm not happy with its new location. "Please shut up and let me see you naked. I've been dreaming about it for years, okay? Nothing you say will change my mind about wanting it. And I already know you're perfect just the way you are." His hand leaves my mouth and dives back under my shirt to cup and squeeze me again. "And these? Shit, B. Can't you feel how well they fit in my hands? _God_ ," he groans, and I whimper at the sound, clenching my thighs together against the ache there. "I need to see how they _look_ in my hands. I need to see what color your nipples are, and I _definitely_ need to taste them."

Am I still alive? I don't even know.

All I know is there is a heavy, pulsing ache in my pelvis that he seems to be making worse and worse. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he's the only one who can make it better right now, too.

My face is hot with a strange combination of lust and embarrassment, but I swallow against the dryness in my mouth and nod. "Okay, but you have to take yours off too."

His smile widens, and his eyebrows do a little dance on his forehead. "Can do."

We both sit up, and I awkwardly pull my shirt off, tossing it to the side while Edward gracefully plucks his off by the back collar. Why is it only guys seem to be able to do that?

My bra is wedged up under my armpits, and I struggle to get it off and still keep any kind of dignity intact. Warm hands are suddenly there to help me get it off over my head, and when my long hair settles down on my back, I'm left fighting the instinct to cover up.

Lust-filled green eyes sweep down my torso, so I lie back down and let him look, closing my eyes and willing my embarrassment and nerves away.

The nerves stay, but I think that's normal. I've never just taken my clothes off in front of a guy like this. Garrett and I had sloppy make-out sessions in the back of his car or in his room, but I never let it get further than over-the-clothes action.

A single finger blazes a trail from the hollow between my collarbones, down between my breasts, to my belly button, and I open my eyes to watch him.

"Like I said… beautiful."

I give him a shy, appreciative smile and let my eyes rake over his chest and shoulders. I've seen them before, of course, but it's been a while, and he's since started the specialized weight training plan the UDub coach sent out to incoming freshmen players. He's filled out more, and he has distinct definition in his pecs and stomach. I lick my lips, wanting to run my tongue over every ridge and contour.

"When the hell did you get so freaking hot?" I blurt out.

He bursts out laughing, and my face goes nuclear again.

"Shut up," I grumble and reach for my shirt.

He's frantic to stop me from getting redressed, his hands on mine, halting my movement. "No, don't. I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you."

My face twists into a _really?_ expression.

"Okay, maybe a little. I just didn't expect that. But it bodes well for me that you think I'm hot." He punctuates his last sentence with an eyebrow waggle.

"Okay, you were hot until you did _that_."

He snorts. "Shut up and let me suck on your tits, Swan."

Heat shoots through me at his blunt words, and I have no idea what to say other than, "Okay."

Edward smirks as I lie back down, and before I know it, he's pinching and rolling one nipple while the other is enveloped into the wet heat of his mouth.

"Fuck," he mumbles against my skin.

"Yeah, fuck," I agree, raking my hand through his hair and holding him against me.

The heat builds, and I'm squirming beneath him, needing friction so badly it hurts.

"What about these?" he asks, hooking his finger under the waistband of my shorts.

"I'm… I guess?"

Pulling back, he looks at me with mussed hair and slightly swollen lips. Entirely too fuckable. "We won't do anything you're not comfortable with, B."

"I know. I trust you."

When I reach down and push my shorts off, he gets up and tugs his jeans off. Tit for tat, I guess.

Tit for cock? Something like that.

Speaking of which… He's wearing dark green boxer briefs, and there's no hiding that bad boy. There's even a small wet spot where he's been leaking. I'm kinda surprised he's that turned on by me, but it only increases the wetness between my own legs.

"You've uh… grown since that ninth grade algebra incident," I croak out.

He shrugs, nonchalant but with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "A little."

Something dawns on me, and my eyes widen. "Have you uh… sprung a boner for me before now? I mean… Um." I sink my teeth into my bottom lip to shut myself up. What a fucking moronic thing to ask. But I can't deny that I want to know the answer.

"Well…" he says, looking away, "there was ninth grade algebra…" He peeks at me, and I'm gaping at him like… _like he just said he's_ _been popping boners for me since ninth grade or possibly longer_.

" _What_?"

"What? It's true. Sorry, Swan, but you asked."

"It's just never been like that with any of us," I mutter, bewildered at this new information.

Edward crawls back up onto the bed and settles next to me, resting one hand on my stomach. "B… We've all been hiding our boners since you got boobs when you were thirteen."

My eyes widen. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"But they were so tiny. And it's not like I showed them off."

"Yeah, but you came in one day complaining about how your mom made you start wearing a bra so you wouldn't 'poke someone's eye out.' We all knew they were lurking under your big t-shirts."

"You make my boobs sound creepy," I say with a laugh, crossing my arms over them.

Edward pries my arms off. "Definitely not creepy," he replies, dipping down and sucking a nipple back into his mouth.

I try to ignore the spike of sensation in my clit so I can ask my next question. "But none of the other guys like… wanted more, right?"

"Well…"

With a gasp, I sit up and almost knock heads with him, but he backs off just in time, still on his side, propped up on one elbow. "Who?"

"I think Jake would've tried eventually if he thought he'd have half a chance."

" _Jake_?"

Edward nods.

"This is too much to process," I declare before flopping to my back dramatically.

Edward leans over me again. "No processing right now. Just feeling."

His hand dips into my underwear, and a strangled sound comes out of me when he swipes over my clit.

"That was definitely a moan."

I don't even care about his smugness right now. I just want him to never stop touching me like this.

An even deeper moan escapes my lips when he dips a finger inside me.

 _Finally_.

He leans down and plants his lips on mine again as he sinks his finger all the way in, curling it and sliding it back out.

"Oh, fuck," I mumble against his lips.

"Good?" he asks, all husky and low.

"Mmhmm," I whimper. "No one's ever…" Trailing off, I squeeze my eyes shut as he adjusts his hand so that he can rub my clit with his thumb.

"No one?" The way he asks is disbelieving but not smug like I might've expected. It's almost reverent as he pumps his finger in and out of me.

Connecting my gaze to his, I shake my head.

"What about the guy you dated?"

"I didn't let him. I never really wanted…"

"What?"

"I let him kiss me and stuff because I figured that's what I was supposed to do, but I didn't feel… _this_."

"This?" he asks, sliding another finger in.

I tense. The stretching burns a little, but it subsides quickly enough and goes back to feeling really fucking good.

Letting that last wall fall down, I decide to just let it all out. "I never wanted him like I want you right now. I never wanted his fingers or his cock in me. I never cared about what sounds he'd make if I touched him, but I can't stop wondering that about you."

"Fuck, Bella." His dick pokes me in the thigh, and he rubs against me. "You wanna touch me?"

Feeling almost shy now, I nod at him.

Licking his lips, he dips his head to my neck. "Let me make you come first," he whispers, laying a kiss behind my ear.

Like I would say no to _that_.

Edward dusts kisses down my neck in a trail leading to my breasts. He sucks each nipple into his mouth as his hand works, and the tension builds so fast, and I have no idea how he's doing this to me.

I've gotten myself off before, but it's never been this good, this intense.

Or this quick.

His steady rhythm in and out doesn't falter, and I grip his forearm, feeling his muscles flex and tighten in time with his hand's movements. The pressure on my clit increases the tiniest bit, and it's enough to make me cry out as the wave of my orgasm finally crashes over me.

It felt too good to keep my eyes open, just like he said it would when he was being a conceited ass yesterday. When I pry them open again, the look on his face is priceless.

"That was the sexiest fucking thing I've ever seen," he says in awe.

My mind doesn't quite believe him because I know I'm not sexy, but I feel too good to question him at the moment. Instead, I stretch like a cat lounging in the sun. "Mmm, that was the sexiest thing I've ever _felt_."

"Good," he replies, leaning down to kiss my lips.

I loop my arms around his neck, and he lets his weight fall on me, and his warm, naked torso pressing mine into the mattress is added to the list of the best things I've ever felt.

Edward shifts, and I open my legs enough to cradle his hips in mine. His first firm thrust against me with only our underwear separating us pulls a throaty moan from both of us, and my legs seem to spread wider of their own volition as I push my hips up into him.

"Bella?"

Gasping, I turn my head toward my bedroom door, which I thankfully remembered to lock after getting the Band-Aid.

"You okay?" my mom asks. "I thought I heard something."

She's a lighter sleeper than my dad, but I still wouldn't have thought she'd hear me from her room.

"Bella?"

"Yeah, Mom," I rasp; then Edward and I both mouth _fuck_ to each other with wide eyes. "One sec."

Edward gets up and hurries to gather his clothes and shoes, being careful not to make too much noise.

"Closet," I whisper to him, and he winks, disappearing through my closet door as I pull my shirt back on.

Squinting so it looks like she woke me up, I unlock and open my door. I clear my throat unnecessarily for further effect. "What's up, Mom?"

"Oh, did I wake you?" She sounds like she's trying to hold in a laugh, but I can't be sure.

"Yeah," I lie, rubbing my eyes.

"I'm sorry, honey. I thought I heard you… cry out or something. You all right?"

"Oh, yeah. I was dreaming about being chased by a T-Rex, but he had these like, go-go gadget arms, so maybe I yelled out in my sleep. I don't know."

I'm talking too fast, and her eyebrows rise up on her forehead, and then her eyes narrow slightly as she studies me—mussed hair, flushed cheeks, and all.

Those things could be attributed to having just woken up, but unfortunately, my mother isn't stupid.

"Okay. Well… Get some sleep, honey. I love you." She steps forward to hug me, and my eyes bulge out of my head when she whispers, "I hope Edward didn't get too hurt when he fell on that first attempt."

I'm speechless as she pulls back with a smile and winks at me.

Is she… for real? She's okay with him being in my room in the middle of the night?

"Be safe," she whispers before pressing a condom packet into my hand and turning around to go back down the hallway.

Guess so.

I even catch a light giggle from her as she descends the stairs.

What. The. Fuck?

Edward comes out of my closet after I close and lock my door.

He has his shirt back on, which annoys me, but his pants and shoes are left behind in my closet.

"Everything okay?" he asks, walking over to me.

"I don't know what the fuck just happened," I mumble, staring at my messed up bed. "I think my mom's lost her ever-loving mind."

"Why?"

"She knew you were in here," I tell him, swinging my gaze to his face in time to see his eyes widen comically.

"She _did_?"

I nod. "She must've been in the kitchen when you got here. She said she hoped you didn't get too hurt when you fell. And then she told me to be safe and gave me a freaking condom," I say, holding up the packet as evidence.

"Well, holy shit. I knew Renee was cool, but I never guessed she'd be _that_ cool." His face goes panicky again. "You don't think she'll tell your dad, do you? I could live without my balls being shot off by one of his hunting rifles," he says, cupping his junk with both hands.

I snort but shake my head. "I doubt it. I mean, I think she would if she wasn't cool with it, but she seems to be... Excited, even." Still baffled, I sit down on my bed. "So fucking weird."

"Well, you're eighteen and about to leave for college. Maybe she's one of those parents who's not in denial about sex and people our age actually having it," he says, sitting next to me.

"Yeah." _Well, I'm not having it. Is he?_ "Or maybe she's just relieved to discover that I don't repulse everyone of the opposite sex," I say with a snort.

"Or…" Edward turns me toward him by my upper arms, leaving his hands there, pressing lightly into my flesh. "Maybe she thinks we'd be great together."

With a scoff, I shake my head, not expecting the hurt that flashes across Edward's face.

 _I'm in love with you._

Did he really say that, or did I imagine it?

His hands drop from my arms, and he stands up, but I'm quick to step into his space and loop my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek to his chest.

His heart beats a steady but fast rhythm against my ear, and total contentment washes over me in that moment.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." His locked muscles relax somewhat, and he settles his warm hands at the small of my back. "I just doubt that's what's going on in her mind, that's all. She's probably just happy someone can tolerate me for any length of time."

It's Edward's turn to scoff. "You don't give her _or_ yourself enough credit, B. You're the coolest chick I know."

"Well, _duh_ ," I reply sagely.

He laughs and smacks me on the ass, and this causes a _very_ interesting reaction in my nethers.

"I guess I should get home," he says with one of those exhales that comes out like an annoyed growl, releasing me and retrieving his jeans and shoes. "I have to work tomorrow."

I actually pout.

I don't think I've ever pouted before.

"You stick that lip out any more, and I'll be forced to suck on it," he says as he buttons his jeans over his neglected erection.

A pleasant shiver runs the length of my body.

And I stick that lip out more.

Can't help it.

I think I might be addicted to Edward Cullen.

 _Shit._

After he comes over and scorches every nerve ending in my body with a thorough kiss, he says, "Oh, and that date? It's happening, Swan." He pecks my lips once… twice. "Soon."

Then he pulls his shirt on and exits the same way he came in, leaving me dumbfounded and turned on and missing him already.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! xoxo**

 **To anyone reading All Yours: I plan to update it in the next day or two.**


	8. The Diner

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your wonderfully sweet reviews. It really makes my day to read them, and I'm sorry I don't get the time to reply to them all. But they really do mean the world to me.**

 **Huge thanks to Twilly, Mich (Twific Lovah), SophiaCorgi, and Sheviking!**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **I hope you enjoy a little EPOV!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8 - The Diner**

"Have fun at Jake's?" a disembodied voice calls from the dark living room as I'm attempting to creep toward the stairs.

Clutching at my racing heart, I turn to face the couch. "Shit, Mom. You scared me."

She brightens the dimmer switch on the lamp next to her and levels me with that one raised eyebrow that always makes me spill my guts.

I deflate with a heavy exhale. "Can we just skip to the part where you tell me what you know?"

"I got an interesting text from Renee," she says.

 _Shit._

Shouldn't moms _not_ know how to text, for fuck's sake?

With a gulp, I stuff my hands into my pockets and rock back on my heels. "Renee was cool with it, though. I mean, she even gave Bella a con—" I cut myself off with a cough as her other eyebrow rises up. "Are you pissed? 'Cause, uh… you look a little pissed. But you like Bella, so…"

I might act like a cocky ass at times, but my mom has a way of making me nervous. And I really don't like upsetting her.

"Of course I like Bella," she says with a sigh. "But I didn't raise my son to go sneaking into a girl's room to do God knows what with her while her parents are in the house."

"So I should wait until her parents are gone?"

She gives me the exasperated head-tilt she's perfected over the years.

"Kidding. I'm kidding, Mom. I'll try not to make a habit of it. It's just that she left Jake's upset tonight, and I needed to talk to her and… girls like that romantic shit, right?"

"Just…" She blows out a breath and pinches the bridge of her nose just like I do when I'm frustrated. "Be careful, Edward. You and Bella have been friends for so long, and I know you'd hate to lose that friendship. If you're just messing around with her…"

"I'm not. I…" Running a hand through my hair, I walk toward her and sit in the recliner next to the couch. "I'm... in love with her, Mom."

She sucks in a breath, and tears spring to her eyes. Laying a hand on her chest, she shakes her head. "Oh, honey. Thank God. I suspected, but I wasn't sure, and I didn't think you'd realize it yourself any time soon." She sniffles, so I move to the couch and sit by her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Does she feel the same? You two have always been so close, but I've never been able to get a good read on her."

Something sits heavy on my chest, a weight that won't budge. Bella didn't say she loved me back, and although I didn't expect her to, I was sure as hell hoping for it.

"She… Well, I think she's coming around. I _hope_ she is. I've been trying to give her time to process everything, but it's hard to stay away now that she'll let me tou—" I clear my throat forcefully because what the fuck? "I mean, uh…" Pulling my arm back to my side, I wallow in discomfort and mentally curse my broken filter.

 _Was I really about to talk about touching Bella to my_ mom _? And with my arm around her, no less?_

 _Kill me now._

Mom pats me on the leg. "Quit while you're ahead, son," she says with a soft laugh. "I don't want details, but I'm glad she's open to something more with you. Unrequited love is torturous. And of course I understand desire. Your father and I still en—"

Standing abruptly, I slap my hands over my ears. "LA LA LA LA LA, good night, Mom!" Running up the stairs, I drop my hands and hear her giggling behind me.

Yeah. Scarring your son for life is hil _ar_ ious.

.

.

Dragging my ass to work the next morning is brutal. What the hell possessed me to get a summer job at the diner? Which opens at _seven in the morning_.

Ugh.

I skid into a parking space at 6:58 and tie my apron on as I walk through the back door, taking in the familiar smells of bacon grease and coffee.

"You're late, Cullen."

Why do bosses always say that? Like I don't fucking know I'm late. Like that isn't the reason I risked getting a ticket to speed here. Like that isn't why I'm sweating when it's not even hot out.

"Sorry, Harry!" I call out as I blow past him. "I overslept." _Because I was in Bella's room until almost one in the morning._

Worth it.

Rushing around, I load my apron pocket with an order pad, pens, and straws, readying for the Sunday-morning rush.

I'd hoped Bella would get a job here for the summer too, but she's not exactly a people person. An image of her dumping a soda over some jackass's head because he didn't tip her or something plays in my brain, and I chuckle as I grab a pot of steaming coffee.

Bella got a job working with Emmett at his parents' feed store, and she seems to like it so far. Hunters and farmers don't give a shit about what she wears or if she's cussing like a sailor, so it works. Plus, she and Em don't have to work Sunday mornings.

Lucky bastards.

This obviously isn't my dream job, but it's tolerable, and I make great tips, especially from customers of the female persuasion. I guess I was blessed with a crooked smile that just opens those wallets right up.

Can't say I'm sorry about that.

Around 9am, a familiar head of strawberry curls bounces through the door.

Tanya always sits in my section, which I normally wouldn't mind, but today, an uncomfortable flush creeps up my neck as I trudge over to her booth.

"Hey, Edward," she says sweetly.

"Hey, Tanya. Rosalie," I say with a nod to her sister, who sits across from her, sporting her usual bored expression.

Tanya gives me coy smiles and basically eye-fucks me as I take their order, and for the first time, it bothers me. Not that I've ever acted on her flirtation before, but I've never straight up rejected her, either. Rosalie smirks at me as I shift on my feet, and I guess my discomfort is obvious, at least to her.

I hope they don't stay long.

After writing down everything they want, I can't get away fast enough.

Our head server, Jessica, lifts an eyebrow at me when I do what could only be described as scurrying to the order window.

Pretty sure I've never scurried before in my life.

Tyler's on the line cooking today, and as I clip their order on the ticket holder, he asks, "You okay, man?"

"Uh…" I'm about to tell him I'm fine, but then all the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I shift my shoulders, trying to dispel the sensation. It's not exactly unpleasant, but I usually only feel it when—

"Hey, Bella!" Tyler shouts, waving with embarrassing enthusiasm through the small window. Tyler's thirty-six years old, but he plays _Call of Duty_ with us sometimes, and he seems to love getting his ass handed to him by a teenage girl on the regular.

At his greeting, my head whips around so fast I strain my neck, and I don't register anything but her dark eyes on me in that short glimpse before I turn to face Tyler again and roll my head to stretch out my sore neck muscles.

It's not unusual for Bella to come to the diner, but it's just my luck that Tanya's here too, flirting her ass off.

"Edward," comes a voice from behind me.

It's not the one I wanted to hear, but I turn around anyway because it's my job, and I'm already on thin ice with Harry.

Tanya has her tits on display for me, perched right up on the high counter that stands between us. Her hands grip the counter, framing the stretched material of her small t-shirt, and of course my eyes betray me and land right where she wants them because well… they're tits, and I'm a guy, and fuck, I hope Bella didn't see that.

Glancing around, I search for her, and my stomach does a fucking backflip when I see she came in with Emmett, and they're sitting with Rosalie and…

Tanya purrs my name again, and I clear my throat. "Yeah, sorry. What's up?"

She smiles once I make eye contact with her, and her grin gets scary-wide when my eyes dip to her cleavage again.

 _Why can't I control my fucking eyes?_

I think I stare a little too hard into her eyes after that, like some creeper because I'm so determined not to look at her stupid giant boobs again.

"Sorry. I forgot to say no cheese on my omelette," she says. "Cheer camp starts soon, and I can't have any extra poundage going on."

This girl can't even have cheese on her damn omelette? How fucking sad.

"I think we have some low-fat cheese," I tell her, scratching my eyebrow. Jesus, am I sweating? I can feel Bella's eyes on me again, but I don't let my gaze wander, lest it stray to the mounds of flesh in front of me for a third fucking time.

"Oh, really?" Tanya replies, her whole face lighting up again. "That would be awesome. Thanks, Edward!" she practically squeals.

Damn, she's chipper. She's probably a morning person, and morning people can suck it.

I had to guzzle two cups of nasty diner coffee-sludge this morning when I got here just to function.

"Yeah, sure," I say with a shrug. "It's no problem."

She beams at me like I've just proposed to her, so I turn abruptly to let Tyler know about the change, hoping she'll go back to her table.

Except… Bella's there too, and I have no idea how this is going to play out.

Bella and I aren't anything official yet, but I laid it all out there for her last night. It probably wasn't the smoothest thing in the world to just blurt out that I'm in love with her instead of maybe actually declaring it in some romantic way. But I don't think full-blown romance is really our style.

Or it won't be our style when… _if_ I can convince her to be my girlfriend.

 _God_ , I want her to be my girlfriend.

I still can't believe she let me get her almost naked _and_ let me make her come last night. That was fucking surreal, and when I woke up this morning, I was afraid it had just been an insanely good dream. But I'm one lucky fuck because it actually happened.

And she can claim to not be sexy all she wants, but that girl is dead wrong. Maybe it just took the right pair of hands and lips or whatever, but the way she responds to me? Holy shit. I have never seen anything hotter than naked Bella Swan writhing under my touch.

Never.

Aaand fuck me, I'm hard now.

Damn it all to hell.

Thank God Tanya's back at their table now, or she'd probably think I pitched a tent for her. That'd be all I fucking need.

After letting Jessica know I'll be right back, I practically sprint to the bathroom and adjust my erection to where it's tucked up into the waist of my jeans. Not the most ideal situation, but it's gonna take a minute to go down. _If_ I can get my mind off of Bella and all that soft skin and those sweet little nipples and that wet…

Still in my Bella-induced lust-haze, I run right into her when I walk out of the restroom. Literally. She must've been heading into the women's bathroom because she smacks right into my chest with a gasp. Wrapping my arms around her to keep her from falling makes my predicament that much _harder_ , and before I realize what I'm doing, I have her pressed against the wall, and I might be grinding on her just a little bit as I run kisses down her long neck.

"Um. Hi?" Bella says, sounding surprised and maybe pissed off. But she can't hide the way her breath hitches, which only encourages me, and I nip at her earlobe. "Is that your dick you're rubbing on me, Cullen?" she asks, gripping my biceps.

It takes me a second to realize she's trying to push me back with her hands on my arms, and I put a little space between us. Her hands drop to her sides.

She looks turned on—flushed cheeks, hard nipples, hooded, fiery eyes—so assuming she's just being playful, I glance down and back up to her with a nod. "Uh, that is, yes. That's my dick."

Flashing her a cocky smile was not the right move because what I expect her to do is roll her pretty brown eyes at me but then throw her arms around my neck and kiss me senseless and maybe let me rub up against her some more.

She was pretty damn receptive to all of that last night.

But what she _actually_ does is scowl and raise her knee up, and I instinctively cover my junk. Instead of trying to rack me, though, she stomps on my foot, which doesn't hurt as much as she probably hoped, before marching into the women's restroom.

Dumbfounded, I stand there and stare at the door she pushed open with the force of a charging elephant, hoping she'll come back out and tell me what the fuck just happened.

I run through the events of last night in my head, which again, doesn't help, but I do my best to ignore my twitching erection and remember how sad she looked when I was leaving her room. I remember her telling me how different it felt with me versus that asshat, Garrett.

How could things have changed so much overnight?

Jessica yells to me that she needs help, so I have no choice but to leave the small hallway in the back of the diner after another few seconds of staring at the door through which Bella disappeared.

I go on auto-pilot, refilling coffee and dropping off plates and hoping to all that's holy that I didn't just fuck everything up.

"Yo, Ed. You okay?" Emmett asks as I drop off coffee for him and a Pepsi for Bella. I don't have to take their orders. They've ordered the same meals for years.

I glance toward the bathrooms, and Rosalie's eyes are narrowed on me when I look back to the table. Tanya is smiling her flirty smile, and Em is waiting for my answer. "Uh, yeah, man. Everything's cool."

 _I hope._

I put in an order for a Belgian waffle with extra bacon for Bella and a Denver omelette with blueberry pancakes for Em, and I turn from the order window and almost knock Jess on her ass.

"Sorry," I mumble.

"It's okay. You all right?"

Embarrassed that everyone keeps asking me that, I clear my throat and straighten my shoulders. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just tired is all."

A few minutes later, Bella still hasn't come out, and I'm kind of lost in my head again, trying to figure out what I could've done to piss her off so much. By the time I almost drop an entire tray of food on an unsuspecting couple, Harry comes up and lays a heavy hand on my shoulder.

"Why don't you go take a break, Cullen?" He tips his head toward where the bathrooms are, and I realize he must've seen what happened between Bella and me.

"Yeah, okay," I agree, handing the tray off to him. He gives me an encouraging smile. "Uh, thanks," I tell him and then beeline straight for the women's restroom door, laying both hands on it but not pushing it open because it's ingrained in me that I'm not allowed in.

"Bella?"

She gasps out a curse behind the door, and my arms ache to push the offending piece of wood out of my way.

"Bella, it's Edward."

Silence.

The door doesn't open, not even a crack.

Fuck it. If she's not going to come out, I'm gonna have to go in. I haven't figured out what freaked her out, but I can't let her keep stewing and most likely talking herself out of what's finally started to happen between us.

I want her, dammit. I've wanted her for so fucking long. And after last night, I'm positive she wants me too. If I'm right, I'm not going to let anything come between us—especially not this motherfucking door.

"Bella… I'm coming in."

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading! xoxo**


	9. Kryptonite

**You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for giving me your thoughts! I love reading them so much.**

 **This chapter was a bit of a bear, and I couldn't have done it without my Twilly, Mich, SophiaCorgi, Sheviking, and the lovely Miss Tracy Jones! Love you all so much. xoxo**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9 - Kryptonite**

 _I could slip out the back and walk home. It's not that far. Why did I leave my fucking bag at the table? I'll be forced to go back out there. Fuck me with a serrated knife._

"Bella?"

"Shit," I say on a gasp, halting my pacing.

"Bella, it's Edward."

 _No shit. I'd know that smooth-as-silk voice in my sleep._

 _Don't come in. Don't come in. Don't come in._

"Bella… I'm coming in."

I have about one second before the door will open, and what do I do? I check my motherfucking hair in the mirror.

I want to smack myself.

It feels as if a horde of tiny aliens is attacking my soft middle as the thick wood creaks open.

Edward peeks in, I assume to make sure I'm not actually using the bathroom, and then without a word, he barges in and has me wrapped in his arms before I can protest. The relief that washes over me at being surrounded by his warmth and his boy-smell is staggering, and tears spring to my eyes.

His very presence is comforting after I've been in here freaking out for I don't even know how long, but I'm still angry, so I push against his chest until he releases me and steps back. His hurt puppy-dog eyes are killer, but he's not getting out of the dog house that easily.

"What the hell did I _do_?" he asks, clutching at his crazy hair in desperation.

I'm aching to be back in his arms, but how can he be confused here? I'm the confused one. He says he's in love with me, but then he ogles another chick and then stares into her eyes like he wants the picket fucking fence and 2.3 perfect fucking children with her?

"Talk to me," he pleads.

"This is exactly what I didn't want to happen," I tell him, turning to brace my hands on the bathroom counter. "This is exactly why we never should've…" Trailing off, I shake my head and stare at a single droplet of water as it gets fatter and struggles to break free from the faucet.

"Fuck," he mutters. "Bella, whatever it is... there's gotta be a way to fix it." My eyes meet his in the mirror in front of me. "Just… tell me how to fix it."

If it were that easy, I wouldn't be hiding in the fucking bathroom.

How the hell do you fix something that was most likely doomed from the start?

The last two days have flipped my whole world upside down, and I can't seem to make sense of anything anymore. Does he actually want me to be his girlfriend? There's no way.

He's going to play baseball at UDub, and the hottest girls on campus will flock to him like kids to an ice cream truck. Tanya may be the current thorn in my side, but there are hundreds of girls exactly like her just lying in wait to pounce on my E. Or at least that's how it feels.

And it's not like Tanya's not a nice person in general, and I know she has no clue that Edward and I were down to our skivvies with each other last night, and rationally speaking, I should not hate her fucking guts right now.

But… I hate her fucking guts right now.

She looks like every guy's wet dream in short cut-offs and this miniscule t-shirt with a fucking deliberate vertical cut in the neckline, right over her don't-stick-your-hand-in-there-or-you-might-lose-it cleavage.

And to top off all the fucked-upness of this morning, I think Rosalie knows what's up now because I couldn't keep my eyes off of Edward and Tanya when she went to the counter to talk to him. I'd finally snapped back into awareness after breaking my staring contest with Tanya's perky ass and Edward's wandering eyes, and Rosalie's smirk said it all.

Just what I need: for Ice Queen and Tits McGee to know Tomboy Swan has it bad for the most beautiful boy in the world.

Maybe I can just _accio_ my bag to me because there's no way I can face the people at that table again.

Emmett was oblivious, but I'm sure it won't be long before Rosalie fills him and Tanya in. She's probably doing it right now, and they're all having a great big laugh at my expense. It's not like Tanya would even consider Edward wanting me back. She'll think, just like Rosalie probably does, that I have some pathetic, unrequited crush.

And considering the way Edward was looking at her and ignoring me, why wouldn't she think that?

Fuck, I'm being such a girl.

"Is it Tanya?" Edward asks, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Did she say something to you? Because… there's nothing, Bella. All we talked about was the cheese for her stupid omelette."

 _Right._

I'd tried to stick it out during Edward and Tanya's mating display, but the über-satisfied grin Tanya was sporting when she came back to our table already had my hackles rising. And then she leaned across to Rosalie and in a loud whisper, declared, "Oh, yeah. That boy wants me. Bad." This was followed by an obnoxious giggle, and I had to get out of there. I couldn't wait around for him to come over to the booth and continue to act like I wasn't even there while making eyes at her.

And then of course I ran smack into _that boy_ , and he decided to rub his Tanya-induced boner on the first warm body he crashed into.

My hands ball into fists at my sides, and I glance at Edward. He's still watching me like I'm a rabid animal that might bite his balls off at any second. His fear empowers me for the moment. "Okay, Cullen." I turn toward him and square my shoulders. "First of all… let's talk about your dick."

He automatically glances down at himself, and a smirk pulls at one side of his mouth.

 _Boys._

When he looks back up at me, it's obvious by his contrite expression that my face shows exactly how unamused I am by his antics.

"Can we uh... take this outside?" he asks, scratching at the back of his head and glancing around like a brigade of women is about to charge out of the stalls and yell at him for being in here.

"Fine," I reply, gesturing for him to lead the way. It'll give me time to figure out what I want to say to him. Hopefully.

I'm grateful we can't be seen by most of the dining room as I follow Edward out the back door. He drops into one of the two lawn chairs sitting on a small patch of grass behind the diner, and I take the other one.

He reaches for my hand but then drops his uncertainly before it can touch me, and it makes me feel cold. I wrap my arms around my middle and hunch over, like I can protect myself from these awful feelings of jealousy, hurt, and rejection.

If this is love… well then love can fuck right off.

I miss the simple existence I was enjoying before Edward's confessions something fierce right now.

Staring out into the parking lot, I watch cars come and go for a moment. It seems I've lost some of the determination I'd built up in the bathroom, and now I can't make any words come out of my mouth.

"C'mon, Swan. You're killing me here. You've never had any trouble laying into me before, so… whatever I did or whatever you think I did, just… let me have it," he says, opening his arms in invitation.

Oh, that freed up the vocal chords. "Whatever I _think_ you did?"

Confusion wrinkles his forehead. "Are you seriously mad because I kissed you in the hallway? After everything that's happened between us?"

"Oh, come on, dude. Don't play dumb with me."

"I'm _not_." He scrubs his face with his hands. "Just tell me what the fuck is going on."

My head is shaking before I've even told it to. "I just don't see how this can work." I pull my legs up into the chair and hug them, curling in on myself under the weight of my words.

Edward rests his elbows on his knees and levels those eyes at me, and the fear I see in them now is heartbreaking. "You don't see how what can work?" he asks slowly, like he doesn't want to hear the answer.

"Just… I'm not… I mean, you and Tanya should..." I'm not making any sense, but my insides feel like they're being dug out by an ice cream scooper.

"B… There's nothing there with her. I told you last night…" He runs both hands through his hair, exasperated. "I laid it all out there for you, and I wasn't lying. I've never lied to you."

Fixing my gaze on the ground, I chew on my thumbnail. "I don't think I know how to do this, E."

"Do what?"

" _This_ ," I exclaim like it should be obvious, gesturing between us. "You and me."

"Wha—" he starts, but I cut him off.

"I don't know how to be this… _girlfriend_ -Bella or whatever it is you want me to be. None of this feels real to me. It's so hard to explain." Frustrated that I'm ruining what could be the best thing to ever happen to me, I bite the corner of my thumbnail and try to gather my scattered thoughts.

Edward reaches over to gently remove my hand from my mouth, and the contact sends a jolt through my veins. I yank my hand out of his because as much as his touch ignites me now, this isn't right. Last night, we were in this bubble in my room, but in the real world… I just don't belong with him.

 _I'm in love with you._

No matter how many times I repeat what he said in my head, my brain can't seem to make my heart believe it.

"I think… you should be with someone like Tanya, not me," I conclude, and as true as it is, saying it shreds my insides.

"God _dam_ mit, Bella." Edward slams his hand down on the armrest of his chair. "I _told_ you," he says, nostrils flaring and voice trembling with anger. "I don't want her. I want _you_."

"Really?" Not able to sit still anymore, I lurch out of my chair and pace in front of him. "Is that why you barely looked at me and didn't even acknowledge me when I walked in?" I clutch at my hair, in disbelief that I'm so sensitive about him not saying hi or waving or even just smiling at me.

But after last night...

I shake my head to dispel those memories and stay focused on what I want to say. "And why you spent the first five minutes I was here ogling Tanya's massive tits and then staring into her eyes like you were about to mount her right there on the goddamn counter? And is that why you rubbed the boner she gave you all over me? I mean, what the fuck, Edward?" I stop to face him and cross my arms over my chest.

During my tirade, he's been shaking his head, and his thick eyebrows have pulled so far together that they look like one long, angry caterpillar above his eyes.

"You know I was actually excited to see you this morning?" I say with a short, humorless laugh. His eyes soften, and a small smile tugs at the corners of his lips at that. "Well, first I was pissed at Em for waking me up so damn early, but then he suggested the diner, and boom. Stupid girly-ass butterflies. And then I get here and… it just all went to shit." My shoulders slump in defeat.

It's not like I haven't seen girls throw themselves at Edward before, but it was never the morning after he'd snuck into my room, declared his love for me, and given me a fan-fucking-tastic orgasm.

From this perspective, it sucks balls—huge hairy balls with elephantitis or some shit.

Edward stands from his chair and yanks me into another hug. It's like he knows being pressed up against him is my kryptonite. I'm not much of a hugger in general, but with him, it's just so damn _comforting_.

"I think I fucked up, B," he says against my hair. I start to agree, but he shushes me. "I don't mean all that shit you just said, but I'll get to that. I think I went too fast with you, and now you're freaking out because everything's changing too quickly."

"But—"

"I know," he says, cutting me off. "I looked at Tanya's boobs, and I'm sorry for that. I didn't _want_ to look. They were just so in my face, and _ugh_."

He actually looks annoyed by her, but I can't be sure. He steps back and tugs at his hair, and it's so fucking sexy—and entirely bizarre that I even have that kind of thought about him now.

"I'm not really... mad about the ogling, I guess. I mean, when they basically have a neon sign pointing at them, it's hard not to look. Fuck, I was looking at them, too." _Mostly because I was sure they were going to pop out of their confines at any moment and fill up the entire diner, squishing us against the glass like insects, trapped by her gargantuan fun bags._ "But then the way you looked at her after that… And then you rubbed up against me, and I just felt so… I don't know… Used? I mean, if she turns you on that much, then why not just…" Trailing off, I shrug at what feels like the inevitable course of events here.

Edward's face pinches in disbelief. "Yeah, let's talk about the fact that you think I actually rubbed a boner _she_ gave me all over you." He steps back and shoves his hands into his pockets. "I would never do something like that, and you know me well enough to know that."

"But you _did_ do that."

"No, I fucking did not."

Oh, he's really mad now. That vein in his forehead is popping out and everything.

"What, you think I got hard for her and just rubbed up against the first warm body I ran into?" he asks, incredulous.

I gape at him because that was my exact thought earlier.

"How could you think that?" he asks. "You _know_ me."

"Do I?" I shake my head, and his eyes flash with hurt. "I know my best friend, E, but I don't think I know this version of you that thinks you're in love with me."

" _Thinks_ I'm in love with you?"

I nod, having no clue how to answer him.

"Did you know that I've gotten so many phone numbers from girls that I could've gone out with a different one every single Friday and Saturday night for at least the past year? And instead, I hang out in basements playing video games?"

"Well…" I shrug one shoulder. "Yeah. Because you like hanging out with us. Just like always."

"I like hanging out with the guys, sure. But knowing you're there… I can't stay away. You're like this magnet, and I'm made completely of metal," he says, gesturing at his body with both hands.

"Well, I'm _so_ sorry I've somehow kept you from dating half the Olympic Peninsula," I reply indignantly.

Edward rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "You just don't get it, do you? I _want_ to be made of metal. I want to be around you every chance I get. I can't stand it when I can't have you near me. Haven't you noticed how I kept sitting next to you and finding reasons to touch you, even before we made the bet and everything?"

My brows furrow as I think back, and… "Yeah, I guess… I just didn't think anything of it because I've never looked at any of you in a non-platonic way before."

He nods. "And what about now?"

"I'd think the answer is pretty obvious, considering I took my clothes off for you last night," I say, an uncharacteristic blush warming my cheeks.

Edward snags my hand and pulls me in close. "That was a big deal." I nod because I'd never done that before. "For me too, I mean," he clarifies, playing with my fingers and sending warmth tingling up my arm. "To see you like that… It just blew me away, y'know? I can't even explain how surreal it was. When I woke up this morning, I thought I'd dreamed it."

One side of my mouth lifts up. "Me too."

"And _that's_ what I was thinking about earlier that got me hard," he says, his own cheeks turning pink at his admission. "I know the timing of it was weird because of Tanya, but my brain took a left turn to last night as I was thinking about how it was going to play out with the two of you at the same table. It was fucking unnerving… the girl I want and the girl who wants me…"

"You mean girls, plural, who want you," I correct him with a smirk.

Edward lifts our hands and entwines our fingers. "Yeah? You want me?"

"Mmmaybe," I reply, pretending to have to think about it. "Li'l bit."

"Oh, just a _li'l bit_ , huh?" he asks, moving to tickle my sides.

"You motherfucker!" I gasp. "No tickling, dammit!"

"Okay, okay." He puts his hands up in surrender. "No tickling. For now," he finishes with a wicked grin.

"Dick."

"About that…"

My eyebrows shoot up in question.

"Are we good now? You understand that that was all for you, right? I'm dead serious. Tanya's hot in a conventional way, sure, but she just doesn't do it for me."

"Mmhmm," I reply, not sure I believe that. "And this does it for you?" I ask, gesturing at my pale, scrawny body in my _Lag Kills_ t-shirt and baggy shorts.

"Well, maybe not the outfit so much…" I roll my eyes, and he steps closer, resting his hands on my waist and then sliding them down, down, down. "But what's under it?" He squeezes both ass-cheeks, and I almost come right then and there. "Fuck. Yes."

A shiver racks my body, and I throw my arms around his neck, ready to shove all my insecurities on their asses and stick my tongue in his beautiful mouth, but I can tell from the look on his face that he has more to say.

"And you said I looked at Tanya like I wanted her, but that's not it at all. I only glued my eyes to hers at that point because I'd been doing exactly what she wanted me to do, and it was just wrong on so many levels." He shakes his head at the whole situation and then gives my waist a squeeze. "So about last night…" he murmurs, looking down into my eyes. "I'm sorry for taking it so far. It was too much, too soon."

My head tilts in confusion at the regret I see in his eyes, and I start to back away. "So, you don't really…" I shake my head as I trail off, feeling rejection burn through me once again.

"Ugh, stop that." Edward wastes no time pulling me back into him. He repositions my arms back to where they were, resting around his neck, and I can't help but smile. "I _do_ really whatever-you-were-going-to-finish-that-sentence-with." His lips curve into a soft grin, and then he widens his stance and dips to press his face against my neck, so I drop my arms to his waist. "I do really love you," he says, his warm breath fanning over my sensitive skin. "I do really want you. I've been wanting you for so long, but it was all brand new to you, and I let my impatience get the better of me."

Relieved and crazy-happy and so damn comforted in his arms, I smirk against his bicep. "It's not like I was stopping you."

He takes hold of my upper arms and gently pushes back so he can look into my eyes. "I know. And it was fucking amazing. But I should've taken it slower. I should've done a lot of things differently. And Bella... there are no other versions of us," he says, watching my face like it's the most fascinating thing he's ever seen. "I know it's a lot to take in, but we're the same people we were before last night. i don't need some 'girlfriend-version' of you. I fell in love with _you_ —my bad-ass Killer B."

He ends his little speech with this smile that's just bursting with adoration, and my body melts like butter. His body's the toast, and I just seep right in. "I'm sorry for being such a spaz," I tell him. "And if I hurt you…" Shaking my head, I run my fingertip over the neckline of his t-shirt, and he releases a shaky breath into the space between us. "I never meant to do that. My brain just… I think you broke it or something." We laugh together. "I can't seem to think straight around you anymore."

"Good," he replies. "Now you know how it feels." He winks, dipping his face closer to mine, and it finally clicks into place in my brain that I drive him just as crazy as he drives me. And to think he's been feeling this way for at least a year…

Our lips are just about to touch, hot breath mingling between our open mouths, when the back door flies open.

" _Whoa_ , what the fuck?" Emmett says.

Edward smiles down at me. "So… Emmett knows."

I laugh, resting my forehead against his collarbone. "Ya think?"

"You okay?" he asks sweetly, rubbing my back with his warm hands.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Seriously… what the fuck?" Emmett mumbles behind us.

I guess Rosalie didn't fill him in after all. Interesting.

"So, I owe you a date," Edward reminds me, ignoring Em and staying with me in our little bubble for the moment. "And I want to do things right with you, so will you go out with me tonight?"

Can a face break in half from smiling too hard? Because Jesus Christ. "Yeah, Cullen. I'll go out with you. On one condition."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

I give him a sly smile and play with the short hair at the back of his neck. "You take me to Chipotle."

His head tips back as he lets out a beautiful laugh, and then he lays a light kiss on my lips. "It's a date."

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! xoxo**

 **accio = the summoning spell in _Harry Potter_**


	10. Incoherent

**Thank you, thank you, thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and for being patient!**

 **Huge thanks to Tracy, Twilly, Mich, Sheviking, and Sophiacorgi. You ladies are the bessssst!**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10 - Incoherent**

Following Emmett back into the diner, I keep my hand wrapped in Edward's as he tows me along. Em sits down in our booth with his sweet, confused-puppy face, tilted head and all, and Edward and I stand at the end of the table, basically presenting ourselves for inspection. I start to wonder if Rosalie's related to Jasper because she doesn't look one bit surprised by this development. But Tanya…

Well, I actually feel a little bad for her when she notices Edward's fingers threaded through mine. Her eyes widen, cheeks pink up, and she tries to adjust the neckline of her t-shirt to no avail. There is no concealing those bad boys.

"So yeah…" I eloquently mutter, tightening my suddenly sweaty fingers around Edward's and looking at Emmett, then the ceiling, then my feet—the toe of my right Chuck touching the toe of Edward's left.

Being this fucking uncomfortable is such a foreign feeling for me. I've never cared what people thought about me. I've never had confidence issues. And it's not that I'm not confident in myself now, but I'm not so confident that I can be enough for my best friend. He's done nothing but reassure me, though, and he's never given me a reason not to trust him in all the years we've been friends. So I'm going to do my best to have faith in this thing, whatever it is.

Edward squeezes my hand back, and then he floors me by saying, "So Bella's my girlfriend now."

My head whips toward him. "I am?"

He's smiling down at me, cool confidence firmly in place. "Yep. You didn't realize that?"

My thumbnail is between my teeth before I even realize my free hand moved, and Edward pulls it out just like he did outside. "I… um..."

The longer I stand there and can't find my voice, the faster the light of happiness drains from Edward's eyes, and I can't take it. Finally, I square my shoulders and look at the people sitting in front of us. Sweat is starting to bead on my temples now, but I nod and try to swallow around the golf ball in my throat. "Okay, yeah. Um, Edward's my buhh…" Sucking in a breath, I tilt my head back and forth, trying to loosen… something. "My buhh… I mean, I'm his… his..." My lips and tongue are obviously revolting against me, so I end with a loud throat-clear and peek up at Edward.

Thankfully, whatever incoherent mutterings I got out seem to be good enough because Edward's crooked smile reappears, and his green eyes shine at me.

"About time," is all Rosalie says before sitting back with a satisfied little smile on her face.

"Were we really that obvious?" I ask her. Ice Queen has barely even hung out with us.

"Nah, just you," Edward teases me, poking me in the side.

"Whatever. You're so full of shit."

Edward shakes his head. "Nope. You have goo-goo eyes for me now. It's the Cullen effect. Happens to the best of them. Sorry, Swan."

He takes a step away when I level him with my death-glare. "I will murder you in your sleep."

"Nah, you love me too much."

"Pffft. Yeah, right."

His hands move to cover his heart. "Ouch. I'm wounded."

We're joking around, but I can see a vulnerability in his eyes that lets me know he's partly serious.

I need to tell him how I feel about him… once I figure it out for myself.

"Uh, yeah." Rosalie points her hand at us. "Obvious— _especially_ Cullen," she says with a smirk.

I kind of want to fist-bump her for that.

I still don't know what kind of vibes we gave off before now, but it's clear Emmett had no freaking clue, regardless. He just keeps looking back and forth at us and our joined hands and shaking his head.

"You okay there, Em?" Edward asks.

"I'm just…" Emmett shakes his head, looking down at the table. "When the hell did this happen?"

"Remember the bet?" Edward asks. "Well… I lied about losing it," he finishes with a smug grin, and I want to fucking die because now, there will be questions.

I start muttering under my breath, and when Edward asks what I'm saying, I repeat it louder: "Please, floor, for the love of all that's holy, open up right fucking now and swallow me whole."

Edward and Rosalie laugh; Tanya asks, "What bet?" And Emmett's eyes go straight to my crotch.

"Really, dude?" I ask, placing my free hand over my vag.

"What?" Edward asks. I know better than to answer that, but it's too late. He glances down at the motion of my hand, and freaking Emmett is still staring in that general direction. In my periphery, I catch Edward's chest puffing up just a bit, which I guess is a knee-jerk reaction. He's not scrawny, but he could never take Emmett on.

When Em still doesn't break his staring contest with my nethers, Edward says, " _Dude_."

Em jumps, like he forgot all of us were here, and his cheeks bloom with color. "Sorry, guys. It's just…" He motions toward my crotch with his meaty hand. "I just never thought of B as having an actual…"

My eyes practically bug out of my head as I hope and pray he doesn't finish that sentence.

"Emmett, seriously?" Rosalie says. I expect her to smack him upside the head. I'd _like_ for her to smack him upside the head, but to my surprise, she doesn't.

The guys and I have always been pretty rough and tumble, but maybe I should stop beating up on Edward at least, since we're… _together_ now.

Weird, weird, weird.

Rosalie's icy glare is enough to put Em in his place, and he apologizes again. But then he points at us and addresses Edward, adding this little nugget: "Is this why you didn't wanna… you know...?" He makes a fist and pokes his finger into it a couple of times and then, attempting to be surreptitious about it, points a thumb at Tanya.

But there is nothing surreptitious about Emmett.

Aaaand there's the smack.

I admit to doing a little fist-pump.

We all seem to glance apologetically at Tanya all at once, but she waves us off. "Hey, if that's the reason, more power to you. I was starting to think I was losing my game," she says with a tinkling laugh.

"Yeah, no," I tell her. "I'm pretty sure you're overflowing with game." I look pointedly at her cleavage, and she glances down.

"Yeah, sorry about throwing them in your man's face, Bella."

I shrug like I didn't have a meltdown about it not ten minutes ago. "I'm over it."

Edward bumps my shoulder and shoots me a sweet smile.

"Good," she replies. "It's not like I was looking for hearts and flowers with him anyway. I just wanted a little Netflix and chill, if you know what I mean." She adds an unnecessary wink—unnecessary because yes, we all know what she means.

Once again, images of them fucking invade my brain, and my stomach lurches, but Edward is quick to wrap his arm around me, possessively cupping my hip.

He clears his throat. "The piece of meat would like to say something," he says, and Tanya has the decency to look somewhat sheepish. "Em, to answer your question seriously, I've been in love with B for a long-ass time."

Emmett's mouth drops open, and Tanya gasps. "In love?" she squeals.

"Yeah, so if you guys don't mind, I'm going to kiss my girlfriend and then get back to work before I get my ass fired for slacking off."

And then he does. He plants one on me right there for everyone to see.

And I let him.

.

.

"So… this is weird."

Rosalie shrugs.

She's in my room. Sitting on my bed.

The Ice Queen cometh… to help me dress properly for my first real date.

I have _zero_ clothes that are Edward-Cullen-date-worthy, and Rosalie, bless her, has brought me some stuff to borrow.

Stepping out of my bathroom in her first selection of skinny jeans and some kind of flowy top, I try unsuccessfully to pull my underwear out of my crack and step in front of my mirror.

"I look ridiculous."

"You look hot." She comes over to me and adjusts the shirt. "But…" Stepping back, she shakes her head. "You need to show off those legs."

My eyes widen. "The skirt? Really?"

"Yep," she says, handing me the offending garment.

"Ugh, I knew this was a mistake," I mutter, ripping the hanger out of her hand. I'd shyly asked Emmett to see if she'd help me, and I was pretty shocked when she agreed and then actually showed up, but I might have to draw the line at a mini-skirt.

"Suck it up, Swan!" she yells at my retreating back, and I throw her the bird over my shoulder.

"These jeans suck anyway." Peeling the tight denim off my legs, I grumble, "So far up my cooch it felt like I was gonna lose my virginity to them."

The skirt is a lot more comfortable, but I still feel ridiculous.

"This thing barely covers my ass!" I walk back over to the full-length mirror like my thighs are glued together, while tugging the hem down in the back. How do people actually _wear_ these out in public?

Rosalie's eyebrows lift as she comes over to inspect me. "Exactly. You've got killer legs, girl. Show those bitches off."

Killer legs? Huh.

She slaps at my hands when I pull down on the hem of the skirt again.

"Okay, this top is all wrong for the skirt. Got any concert tees?"

"Pffft. Do I have concert tees."

I pull out several options, and she picks an old Nirvana shirt that I stole from my mom, knotting it in the back so it's pulled taut and shows a sliver of skin between it and the skirt. "Perfect," she says, smiling at me in the mirror.

"Uh, thanks." I return her smile because while this is completely out of my comfort zone, I don't look half bad. And while I won't ever have my tits hanging out all over the place like Tanya, it's nice to feel sexy for a change. "I'm not wearing those death-traps, though," I tell her, pointing to the stilettos she brought.

She laughs. "I know. I just brought them to scare you."

"Bitch."

"Yeah, yeah. Just go get me your makeup bag."

"My… what?"

"Oh, come on. Seriously?"

.

.

Once I have my trusty Chucks on and Rosalie has applied some mascara and lip gloss she had in her purse, we head out to the stairs. When I saw her handiwork in the mirror, I was taken aback by how much difference such a small amount of makeup can make, and Rose ended up letting me keep what she used on me, saying she had plenty more at home. It remains to be seen if I can actually apply the mascara without stabbing myself in the eyeball.

A knock on the door as I'm hitting the second step makes me falter, and my stomach doesn't just do a somersault. It does a double backflip, handspring into a full twist, layout, and then sticks the landing.

"Shit, I can't do this."

Rose runs into me when I stop moving, and we almost tumble down the stairs together.

"Ugh, Bella. Come on," she says, yanking on my arm. When she realizes I'm frozen and won't budge, she brushes past me, muttering something that sounds like, "freakishly strong."

That bitch takes it upon herself to open my front door, and I don't even have time to protest because I have to grip the banister with both hands as Edward appears in the doorway. His flushed cheeks and bright eyes are all I can see at first. Then I notice he's freshly showered, and I want to run down these stairs and fling myself at him, but I don't think my legs are working properly.

Confusion takes over his handsome face as it seems to register with him that Rose opened my door. He even glances up to double-check the house number.

"Yeah, you're at the right house," Rose says with a laugh. "Come in, loverboy. Your girl's doing her best impression of a statue on the stairs." She points over her shoulder at me.

Edward runs a hand through his damp hair as he steps inside, and my whole body tingles at the sight. I'm still not used to the reactions he evokes in me now, but it sure as hell feels incredible.

His jeans are dark and make his thighs look delicious, and his navy t-shirt shows off his beautiful sinewy arms.

Rose gives me a menacing head-shake when I tug at the hem of my skirt again, so I fidget with my hair instead.

Edward goes stock-still as soon as his eyes land on me.

He gapes, and my cheeks warm as I give him a nervous smile.

Rosalie lets out a low chuckle and pats his shoulder on her way out the door. "You're welcome."

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! xo**


	11. Everything

**Thank you, thank you for sticking with me and being so patient. How is it November already? I hope you all had a great Halloween if you celebrated!**

 **Eternal thanks to these ladies for putting up with my needy ass: Sophiacorgi, Tracy Jones (renewedagain), Twilly, and Sheviking**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11 - Everything**

Edward moves first, stepping to the bottom of the stairs and resting his hand on the banister. His gaze never leaves my face, and the sweetest smile blooms on his.

I finally find my voice, but it cracks, making my nerves obvious. Or more obvious than they already were, anyway. "Hey."

"Hey." He steps up onto the first stair. "You okay?"

I shrug one shoulder. "Um, I'm not sure. This skirt…" Looking down at it, I yank at the hem again.

"Looks great on you," he says with a crooked grin.

Tilting my head, I smile back at him because he's really good at this boyfriend stuff.

I've been debating whether or not to bolt back to my room and put on some jeans now that Rosalie isn't here to stop me, but my mind is made up when Edward's eyes dip to my legs and he licks those pretty lips.

The skirt stays.

"Thank you," I tell him with a shrug of both shoulders. "I guess I'll live."

He smirks, and heat licks at me right between my legs as his gaze roams over my body again. My eyelids droop like they're too heavy to keep open all of a sudden, and I wonder what exactly is going on in that head of his. If it's anything like what's going on in mine, we'd better get out of this house with all its beds and shit before we end up skipping the date altogether.

I almost wish my parents were here so I wouldn't even be tempted to drag Edward up to my room instead of going out, but they never miss their weekly Spades tournament at the community center.

Edward stretches his arm out, extending his hand to me, and so I finally descend. I'm a little slow, but he doesn't seem to mind.

The draft going up my skirt will take some getting used to.

"Hey," he says again once my hand slides into his.

"Hey."

"You look…" He trails off, shaking his head with a low whistle, and I expect him to say "great" like he did before, but he sounds more like the E I know when he finishes with, " _so_ hot."

A horrifyingly girly giggle spills out of me, and my mouth gets ahead of my brain. "Really? Like… Tanya-hot?" I ask, horrifying myself once again. Why the hell do I keep comparing myself to her?

"Uh, no," he says, crushing me with those two tiny words.

Before I can check myself, my shoulders deflate, and I focus my gaze on my dingy black Chucks.

Edward curls his index finger and touches the underside of my chin, tilting it up so I'll look at him again. I know my eyes are pleading with him as I berate myself for saying something so utterly stupid.

He looks right into my eyes like he needs me to really listen to what he's about to say. "You don't need to look 'Tanya-hot,' and I'm glad you don't. You look _you_ -hot." He lays a light kiss on my lips and then pulls back again. "But you don't have to do this for me, B. I'll be proud to take you out in whatever clothes you want to wear. I don't want you feeling self-conscious all night. That's just not you."

I release a breathy chuckle. "Jesus, you can stop being all perfect any time now."

Taking my challenge, he reaches down and scratches his balls and then sucks in air only to release a loud burp above my head. "Better?" he asks.

I snort but smile at him and nod. "Much."

"You sure?" he asks. "I've been holding in a fart that I could let loose if you're still not convinced."

"No, no, no! That's okay!" I exclaim, and he laughs with me as I reflexively cover my nose.

Boy-farts are the worst. They just… linger. Like, forever.

"I won't. I won't!" he says, still laughing, and pulls my hand away from my face.

"At least wait until we're outside, dude."

Feeling much more relaxed now, I smile up at him as his thumb sweeps over my palm.

He probably has no idea how much those antics have calmed my nerves. I don't feel so overwhelmed by expectations now, and I hope he doesn't either. He can be him, and I can be me.

And then maybe we can suck face later.

Or… maybe right now. Edward slides both arms around me and whispers, "Hey," again before cupping the back of my head and planting his lips on mine. He's still on the bottom step, and I'm one up from him, so our height difference is less pronounced.

Sighing into him, I bury my fingers in his hair and fit my lips to his.

To my disappointment, he doesn't slide his tongue into my mouth, but my knees go weak as he sucks on my bottom lip before releasing me. "Let's go," he says, threading his fingers through mine.

Once we reach the sporty used Accord Edward got last year, he opens my door for me, and I eye the seat warily, wondering how the hell I'm going to get in and out of it without pulling a Paris Hilton.

I feel a little like a baby giraffe as I awkwardly maneuver my legs while holding the hem of my skirt down. Edward chuckles behind me.

"Just… stand by the hood or some shit," I snap at him as I do my best to not show my goodies to the entire damn neighborhood.

Once I'm finally settled in and have the skirt pulled down as far as it'll go without coming off completely, I give Edward a thumbs-up through the windshield. He laughs at me, so I flip him off as he steps around to fold his long body into the driver's seat. I'm still a little uncomfortable with how much skin is exposed, but then he entwines our fingers and rests our joined hands on my bare thigh. And that… well, that is nice. He brushes my skin with his fingertips here and there during the short drive and clearly enjoys my reaction, shooting me a smirk each time I shiver from the tingling sensation.

I mentally congratulate myself for sticking with the skirt, because those fingers clearly possess magical qualities.

Once at Chipotle, we order our dinner and find a table. I lean down and inhale the delicious aromas wafting off my food. "Oh, steak burrito bowl, how I love thee. Let me count the ways."

Edward almost snorts Mr. Pibb through his nose as he laughs at me. "Dork."

I wave my hand at him. "Whatever. I'm so happy. I've been craving this for over a week," I tell him as I mix the contents of my bowl.

"Well, I'm glad you're happy, but I can't believe you blocked me like that so you could pay," he grumbles, pointing his fork at me. "Not cool, Swan."

I probably looked like a crazy person, jumping and waving my arms to get my money to the cashier first, but it was necessary.

"Aww, did I hurt your sensitive little ego, Cullen?"

His mouth flattens into a thin line, and he raises one eyebrow at me. "I asked you out on a date," he says slowly, like he's telling me something I don't know. "And this is the date."

"No shit, Sherlock."

Indignant, he huffs. "I should've been the one to pay."

I finish mixing and gaze longingly at my bowl before focusing back on Edward. "Nope. Think about the terms of the bet." His eyes widen in surprise at the mention, and I smirk. "If I'd won, you would've owed me a month's worth of Chipotle, but you said if you won, I'd owe you a date. Seeing as we're at Chipotle and I _clearly_ lost," I say, rolling my eyes at his smug-ass smile, "I thought it was only fair that I pay this time." I load up my fork with a perfect first bite of steak, cilantro-lime rice, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and lettuce. "But you can get the rest," I add with a wink, and then my eyes roll back as I place the heavenly concoction on my tongue and chew.

Edward's smile is crooked and happy. "The rest, huh?"

"Um…" His question makes me falter for a moment. "I guess? I mean, I'm assuming there will be more after this one since you announced that I'm your girlfriend without even asking me first."

Edward blanches and looks unsure for a second, but then his eyes get all determined, and he grasps my non-fork-wielding hand. "Bella…"

My fork and bowl are forgotten at that husky murmur of my name. He has all my attention as his thumb strokes the back of my hand softly. "Will you be my girlfriend and go on a million more dates with me?"

"A million? That could get awfully expensive."

His expression is unamused, but he doesn't let go of my hand. "Is that a yes, smart-ass?"

Smiling, I load up my fork again. "Fuck, if you keep me supplied in Chipotle, I'll marry your hot ass."

I freeze, and Edward's mouth drops open as I stammer in disbelief that I said that. "I mean… um. Gah, sorry. That was… I don't know where the fuck that came from."

A hopeful gleam takes over Edward's pretty eyes as I shrink down in my chair. "Wow," he says. "I can't believe that just came out of your mouth. You must really have it bad for me."

"Shut. Up," I growl.

"Nope. I'm going to remember this. And when I propose… And I _will_ propose one day," he says, making my heart skip several beats, "you're not allowed to say no."

"Oh, really? What if I don't like you anymore?"

"Not possible."

"Uh-huh. We'll see." Of course, he's one-hundred percent right, but his ego doesn't need any more stroking than I've already given it right now.

His smirk is deadly. "Just admit it, Swan. You looooove me."

Narrowing my eyes, I shake my head at him, but my lips curl up at the ends despite how hard I try to keep a menacing expression on my face. "Just eat your dinner, Pee-pants."

.

.

Once I got those nerves out of the way, dinner with Cullen was a lot of fun, and I don't even know what happened in the movie we went to because we made out for half of it, and for the other half, we made fun of the über-cheesy special effects. The latter is something we've always done together, so it's all starting to sink in and make more sense to me now. Our friendship's not really changing except for the addition of kissing, touching, and nakedness, which I'm totally on board with.

When we pull into my driveway, Edward gets out of the car with me, and I give him an amused smile. "You're serious about all this corny dating shit, huh?"

"Huh?" he asks, closing his door and pocketing his keys.

"You don't have to walk me to my door or anything. You didn't even need to park here. You could've just parked at your house, and I could've walked over."

He shakes his head with a disappointed, "Swan, Swan, Swan," and walks over to me to sling his arm around my shoulders. "I get that you're new to all this, but you need to get ready for the Cullen-boyfriend experience."

I side-eye him with a grimace. "You did _not_ just say that."

He flashes me a cheesy smile, and I shake my head at him as we walk up my porch steps. I'm curious about how many other girls have had the " _Cullen-boyfriend experience_ ," but before I do something stupid like ask him about that, he presses me up against my front door and plants his lips on mine, cradling my head in his hands.

I open to him instantly, and he tilts my head so his tongue can plunge in more easily. I'm finding it turns me on even more when he manhandles me like that, and I claw at his back, eliciting a groan from him.

Oh, yeah. He likes it rough.

Putting aside the speculation as to how he knows that, I bury my hands in his silky hair and pull.

"Fuck, Bella," he breathes into my mouth, grinding his hard-on against my stomach as the crickets sing around us in the cool evening air.

It feels as if nothing could cool me off right now, though.

It makes me feel powerful to be turning him on this much. Drunk off the feeling, I pull again and then drag my nails down his neck, and he tears his mouth away from mine with a hiss. But then he kisses me with renewed vigor, devouring my mouth and palming my ass, lifting me and pushing our hips together. My skirt rides up, and his fingertips press into my bare skin less than an inch from the edge of my underwear.

" _God_ ," I moan.

At that moment, a swath of bright light washes over us, and Edward springs away from me with a curse. We pant and stare at each other, but after a second of stunned silence, we burst into laughter.

"Your face…" Edward laughs out.

" _Your_ face," I reply.

"Edward Anthony Cullen!" my dad yells. "What the hell was that?"

We cut our laughter off abruptly, but as both sets of our eyes widen at each other, the giggles start up again.

I don't know what's going through his mind, but for me, it's mostly giddiness. I also found the cliché timing of my parents coming home fucking hilarious. Not to mention Edward's panicked glance down at his dick, which is straining to get out of his jeans.

 _Unf._

"Stop looking at my dick, Swan," he whispers, startling me.

I hadn't realized I was staring.

"Sorry," I whisper back as my dad reaches us.

Edward smirks and moves to stand behind me, whether it's to use me as a human shield against my dad or simply to cover up his _problem_ , I'm not sure.

Probably both.

Dad's just staring at us expectantly, and I shoot a grateful and kind of proud look at Mom because I know she must not have said anything about Edward being in my room last night.

"That was… uh…" I stumble, trying to answer my dad.

"Sir," Edward says, and my mom, dad, and I all gawk at him with the same incredulous expression. Edward has never addressed my dad in that way. They've fished and watched ball games together and shot the shit like old friends. E's basically the son Dad never had.

 _Okay, that's weird to think about with Cullen's boner in my back._

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you and Mrs. Swan"—Mom smiles and puts her hand to her chest—"about it ahead of time, but I've asked Bella to be my girlfriend, and she said yes."

 _Mrs. Swan?_ What has gotten into him? And why the fuck would he need to talk to them about it? What is this, the 1800s?

"Girlfriend?" Dad asks like he's never heard that word before.

"Yes, sir," Edward replies smoothly.

"Bells?" my dad asks for clarification, as if I'm not standing right goddamn here, and I huff.

Edward's cool exterior cracks, and he chuckles, smoothing his hands up and down my arms. "Yes, sir. I'm in love with her, sir."

My mom gasps and covers her mouth, and I almost have the urge to do the same. I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing him say that.

"You're _what_?" my dad growls.

Why is it so hard to believe he'd be in love with me?

 _Because he looks like a model and you… seriously do not._

 _Shut up._

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, honey," my mom all but squeals, and I roll my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Can we have a minute please?"

"Not if you're going to keep doing what I just saw you doing," Dad says with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to look intimidating.

"Charlie," Mom says in her most soothing voice. "Come on." She tugs on his hand, but he stands his ground.

"He practically had his hand up her skirt, Renee! Right here on the goddamn porch!"

Edward clears his throat behind me, and I glance up to see a rare sheepish expression on his face. "Sorry, Chief," he mumbles, avoiding my dad's harsh gaze.

"Charlie," Mom says with a sigh. "Don't you remember being that age?"

He cuts his angry gaze at her. "Yes, Renee. I do. Which is exactly why—"

"Which is exactly why we're going to give them some privacy, Charlie. They're young and in love, and there's nothing wrong with that."

I stiffen at her words, and I can feel Edward looking at me.

Dad shakes his head and scratches his neck, muttering something under his breath as he and Mom walk past us into the house. Mom reaches out and gives my fingers a squeeze, throwing a radiant smile at Edward and me, and I smile back against my own will.

"Well, that was sufficiently weird and uncomfortable," I say with a sigh, turning to face Edward after the front door clicks closed.

"Nah. Your dad'll come around. I'm sure it was just a shock, and he's probably questioning all the times he's let me hang in your room with the door closed," Edward says with a chuckle, and I laugh with him.

"Yeah, probably. I just wish people would stop acting so damn surprised," I grumble. "It's not like I don't already know how ridiculous I look standing next to ' _his holy hotness_.'"

Edward's eyebrows climb his forehead, and I slap a hand over my mouth. I can't _believe_ I just said that.

He removes my hand, keeping hold of it and stroking my skin with his thumb.

" _His holy hotness_? Seriously? Where the hell did _that_ come from?"

Looking down at our joined hands, I bite my bottom lip. "The damn giggly girls at school," I mumble. "They always called you that, like when they were in the bathroom painting their stupid faces and shit." I sigh. "Sorry. I'm just still trying to get used to this whole you-being-attracted-to-me thing. It's bizarre, you have to admit."

Those girls would choke on their own tongues if they saw Cullen and me together like this.

"No, it's fucking not," he growls. The anger lacing his tone surprises me, and I watch his green eyes burn with it. "What do I need to do to convince you how goddamn beautiful you are, huh?" Stepping forward, he takes my face in his hands. "No one is looking at you and thinking you don't belong with me. If anything, it's the other way around." I scoff, and his hands move to my neck, under my hair, squeezing lightly there. "No, I'm fucking serious, B. I'm the lucky fucker in this situation, okay?"

I'm giving this a chance, so I don't want to argue with him. I slide my arms around his neck and lay a light kiss on his lips. "How about we just agree that we're both fucking lucky, okay?"

"Sounds good," he says. "I mean, I _am_ pretty awesome."

"Yeah, so am I," I reply with a smirk.

"Damn skippy."

I laugh with him and play with the short hair on the nape of his neck. "So, what else does this Cullen-boyfriend experience entail?" I ask almost shyly.

His hands tighten on my hips. "Mmm…" His lips descend on mine again, long fingers stroking the exposed skin between my skirt and shirt. I shiver, and he kisses me until I'm practically climbing him again, the lust he's awoken in me overwhelming all my other senses. Edward finally pulls away from my lips, breathless. "Everything," he says. "I want everything with you."

 _Everything._

"I want everything with you too," I breathe without thinking.

"Everything?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow at me and pressing his erection into my stomach.

I quirk an eyebrow right back. "It's our first freaking date, Cullen. Jesus. You're such a slut," I say with a playful slap to his shoulder and a chuckle because I'm only kidding around. He's obviously not going to try to fuck me right here on the porch, and we don't have a ton of other options at the moment.

Not that I'm ready for that just yet anyway, even though we've known each other forever. But it _is_ the first time I've ever thought about wanting it to actually happen with anyone.

"No, I'm not," he mumbles, and I'm fascinated by the color that blooms on his face.

"I was just kidding," I whisper, stroking his warm cheek.

His eyes connect with mine, and my breath hitches at the raw emotion in them. "Your mom thinks you're in love with me," he says, changing the subject.

With a gulp, I nod. "She seems to, yeah."

I know that's not the answer he was looking for by the way his shoulders slump, and a phantom fist squeezes around my heart.

His blush still colors his cheeks, and it's just so unlike him that it makes me wonder about the assumptions I've always made regarding his experience with girls.

"Don't tell me you've been saving yourself for true love, E," I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

But his eyes tell me that's exactly what he's done. They burn into mine with an intensity I've never seen before, and emotion stings my own eyes as he stuffs his hands into his pockets and watches my face, willing me to put two and two together.

"So when you say everything…" I trail off, waiting for him to fill in the blank.

He nods, closing the distance between us and hugging me to him. "I won't lie and say I've never done stuff with girls in the past, and I've let people assume a lot of shit about me, but…" He swallows and then leans down to murmur into my ear. "I want you to be my first, B... It's what I've always wanted."

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! xoxo**

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	12. Twisted

**Endless thanks to all of you who stick with me, even when I have horrible writer's block. Much love to you all.**

 **My pre-readers have worked so hard to help me with this one, and I can't thank them enough. Miss Tracy Jones, Sophiacorgi, Twilly, Mich, and Sheviking, you ladies are amazing. Thank you so much!**

 **All mistakes are mine.**

 **I own no recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12 - Twisted**

 **EPOV**

After moving my car to my own driveway, I unlock and shoulder through the front door.

"How was your—"

"Don't want to talk about it," I mumble and keep walking toward the stairs. I make the mistake of glancing at Mom and stop. She looks hurt because fuck me, I was rude to her. Dad's sitting next to her on the couch with an eyebrow raised at me. "Sorry. Just…" I rub the back of my neck. "It was mostly good. Don't worry. I'm just… I need to..." Fidgeting with my keys, I look longingly up the stairs.

"Go ahead, son," my dad says, rubbing Mom's back.

She gives me a sympathetic smile, which tells me what my face must look like, and I bolt up the stairs.

Pacing in my room, I drop my head into my hands, my chest constricting with pain.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and my pathetic heart leaps into my throat because I think it must be Bella calling to tell me—

"Oh." It's not. "Hey, J."

"Don't be so excited to hear from me," Jasper jokes.

"Sorry, man. What's up?" I ask, toeing my shoes off.

"My spidey senses were tingling, and I thought you might need to talk it out."

I'd started pacing again, but I stop moving at that. _What the fuck?_ "Seriously?"

"Nah, I'm just fucking with you," he says with a laugh. "I was taking out the trash and saw you go into your house. Looked like you were trying to pull all your damn hair out."

I'm closer with Jasper than I am with the other guys in our group, and he's the only one who knew about my V-card still being intact—until I spilled my guts to B tonight.

And still nothing from her. She stuttered something unintelligible and stumbled into her house, and I stood there staring at her front door until it was obvious she wasn't coming back out.

Removing my hand from my hair, I go back to pacing and kick one of my shoes across the room. "Yeah… I mean, B's great. Obviously. But I think I fucked up, and she doesn't feel the same way I do."

"Huh," Jasper says. "I didn't get that vibe from her at all. She seems pretty into you, dude."

I'm such a pussy because my heart skips at that. "Yeah, she's attracted to me now and shit, but I'm… I don't know. I basically forced her to be my girlfriend. I'm sure Em told you."

"No. What happened?"

My free hand dives back into my hair without conscious thought from me. "I just… _Ugh_. I've wanted her so much for so damn long, and I acted like a cocky dick and just like, _announced_ that she was my girlfriend without even asking her first."

"Oh, dude," he admonishes.

"I know."

"How'd she react?"

My hand falls to my thigh with a smack as I recall her shock. "She… I don't know. She was all cute and flustered, and she kind of tried to agree but couldn't get the words out. And then I officially asked her tonight, but she made some joke about marrying me, which she quickly fucking backpedaled on, by the way, and then never gave me an answer about the girlfriend thing."

"But you guys have hooked up, right? Made out and shit already?"

One of my shoulders jerks up in a shrug. "Yeah." I don't want to tell him just how far I went with her that first night because it was too damn far. But God, all I want to do is touch her again.

"B doesn't strike me as the type to do that with just anyone, man."

"Yeah, I know." As far as I know, she's only done stuff with that fucknut, Garrett, and she went a lot further with me than she ever did with him. And she's so damn responsive to me—not just going through the motions like she said she did with him. The heat between Bella and me is even more insane than I always suspected it would be. It's fucking addicting. "It's just… any time the L-word is mentioned, she completely shuts down, and it's kind of killing me."

"Whoa, hold up," he says. "You already told her you love her?"

He's incredulous, but fuck. "Of course I did." I shrug. "I'd been holding that shit in for over a year already."

"Okay, but I mean… isn't it a little too soon for that?"

I throw a hand up. "Too soon? We've been best friends almost our whole lives, and she's hot for me now, so what's the fucking problem? What else has to be added to that equation?" I yank at my hair again.

"I don't know, dude," Jasper says. "I know jack shit about love. But you and I both know any kind of change throws B for a fucking loop."

"I know," I mumble. "But… what if this is only physical for her? I mean, she said she wants everything with me, but I think we both had sex on the brain at that point," I ramble, remembering how we'd been all over each other just before she said that. "So do I just take what I can get and let her break my damn heart somewhere down the line, or do I get out now and get the breaking over with?"

Maybe she doesn't want to be so committed right before going to college. I wouldn't blame her for wanting to keep her options open, but damn. That shit hurts to even think about… her with some other guy, kissing, touching, fucking?

The image of some faceless douche rutting on top of Bella causes a visceral reaction in me, like I was just struck by lightning. It crackles out to every nerve-ending.

"Fuck, fuck, _fuck_ ," I growl, gripping my hair again.

"Look, man. You gotta relax and let her take the lead or some shit. You're all twisted up, and you're gonna drive yourself batshit."

I already am.

And there's no way I could break it off with her at this point anyway. Even though I sort of forced it, she's finally mine, at least for right now, and I'll hold on as long as she'll let me.

"I know," I mumble into the phone.

"Seriously. Stop being an impatient ass and give her some time to figure shit out. Before a few days ago, you were just her best friend, and she probably needs some time to flip that love switch or whatever, but I'm sure it's there, man. Don't stress so much."

"Yeah, dude." Looking up at the ceiling, I exhale a long breath. "I'll try." I rub my chest. "I know I'm being a pussy about this, but I'm scared shitless to lose her now that I finally have her. I've just… wanted her for so fucking long."

"I know," he replies.

Of course he knows. He probably knew even before I did.

I'd never straight-up told him because I was biding my time until I could figure out how to get B to see me in a different light—all the subtle shit I'd tried wasn't working—and I didn't want him to push either one of us. But J wasn't kidding about his spidey senses. That fucker seems to always know how everyone is feeling. He's always reading people's body language and shit, often stopping fights before they even happen within our group by untangling the lines of communication.

It's freaky but useful.

"I gotta run, but stop pacing." I stop. "I know you're pacing." See? Freaky. "And stop pulling that damn beautiful hair out."

"Know how I know you're gay?" I ask, quoting _40-Year-Old Virgin_. "You like balls in your face."

Jas snorts. "You guys coming to the party together?"

"That's the plan."

"Cool. Get your shit together before then. You can't be all emo and kill everyone's buzz." He softens his voice. "She'll come around, dude. Just give her some more time."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, man," I say with a nod. "'Night."

"'Night."

I hope he's right, but I don't know. Maybe I'm freaking out because I've had all this shit pent up for so long, and if she really never saw me as anything more than a friend before, how could that change at this point? I feel like by forcing her into this with the bet and everything, I've already ruined it.

Frustrated as hell, I kick another shoe, and it hits the wall by my closet. Emily bangs on the wall from her room next door and screams, "Stop it, douche!"

 _Ugh, tweens._

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, flipping the bird in her general direction before dropping onto my bed.

My mind won't shut off, so I stare at my ceiling until finally falling into a restless sleep.

.

.

Knocking on Bella's door the next evening, I do my best to squash all the emo shit from last night. Since I know I won't be the one to end this— _I can't_ —no good will come from dwelling on the fact she's not in love with me and may never be.

I'll enjoy this while it lasts, fight for us when I need to, and hope for the best.

Considering the way our date ended last night, I'm flooded with relief when Bella opens the door with a smile. As her eyes rake over me, a blush invades her face, and I let out a fucking girly sigh. She's never been a blusher, but those cheeks get pink for me now, and I love it. She's such a hard-ass, and it softens her a little. Not that I'd ever want her to change who she is because she's fucking perfect, but I'm thoroughly enjoying seeing the softer side of her.

She has on a little bit of makeup like she did last night, making her dark eyes and plump lips even sexier than they already were, and I stifle a groan.

As I take the rest of her in, my eyes bug out.

"You're gonna give all the guys a hard-on in that," I say with raised eyebrows. Her jeans are skin-tight, and she has on another concert tee, knotted to cinch it up and show a sliver of creamy skin.

Fuck me.

Bella looks down at her outfit and shrugs, challenging me with her eyes when she looks back at me. "Not my problem. I didn't wear it for them. I wore it for you."

Well, then.

My chest rises and falls with a heavy breath. "Okay, well, now I'm hard, so mission accomplished." I give her my most seductive grin, and she sways a little but recovers and pats me on the chest, moving to go around me.

"Keep it in your pants, Cullen. We have places to be."

Adjusting my stiff cock so it's not so uncomfortable in my jeans, I turn and catch up to her. "You sure that's for me? Or is it because Rose is coming tonight? You don't want your fashion guru to judge you?" I tease her with a chuckle.

"Nah, I was just in the mood to torture you," she replies without missing a beat. She glances up at me and smirks. "Is it working?"

Falling back a step and dipping my gaze to her ass, I bite the knuckle of one forefinger. "Affirmative."

"Good."

"And what did I do to deserve this torture?"

Bella lifts a shoulder but doesn't look at me as we walk toward Jasper's house. "You got me all hot and bothered last night, but then you didn't sneak in to finish what you started. You suck."

I shake my head. "Nope. Do you?"

It takes her a minute, but when what I said registers, she stops, her eyes widen, and her cheeks color even more. She lands a light backhanded slap on my arm. "Ass."

Based on her reaction to what I said last night, I'd never have guessed she'd want me to come back and sneak into her room, but I've never claimed to understand girls.

With a laugh, I sling my arm around her shoulders and start walking again. "C'mon ba—"

"Edward Cullen, I swear to all that's holy if you call me bae right now—or _ever_ —this shit ends right here."

Fuck. I grit my teeth at the small jab of pain that hits me, even though I'm pretty sure she's only joking around. Maybe.

And why the fuck would she think I'd ever use the word "bae?" I'm not twelve.

Shaking my head, I smirk at her. "Is 'baby' allowed?"

Bella stops us and ponders for a moment with furrowed brows and pursed lips—lips that I want to see wrapped around my dick even more now that we joked about it together. "I don't know," she says. "Let's try it."

The other side of my mouth pulls up, and I look down at her, giving her arm a squeeze. "C'mon, baby. Places to be, remember?"

"Oh…" she says on an exhale. "Well, that…" She blinks and leans in to me a bit more as we resume our walk. "I mean, that makes me feel precious."

I laugh, but my chest swells at making her feel that way, and I can't help it. I stop and turn her toward me. I haven't tasted her lips since last night, and I need to now. I can't wait another second.

Cupping both sides of her face, I lean down and mold my lips to hers. She whimpers and fists her hands into the front of my shirt, and it fills my chest with soothing warmth and dangerous hope.

Bella looks dazed when we separate, and I grasp her hand, lacing our fingers together. "C'mon, baby," I repeat, watching in fascination as her eyelids flutter and her lips part to release a heavy breath.

After another second, she blinks and shakes off whatever fog was just hanging over her. "Man, seriously." She punches me in the bicep. "This sucks. What's this freaky voodoo shit you keep doing to me?"

With a laugh, I catch her hand and lay it over my heart, letting her feel how it speeds up when I'm close to her. "The same freaky voodoo shit you do to me."

Bella flexes her fingers against my chest and glances up at my eyes, probably checking to see if I'm sincere.

I am.

She holds so much power over me, and she doesn't even realize it.

.

.

Jasper's parents are out of town for the week, so he's having a party. It's Monday night, but it's summer, so fuck it.

From the looks of it as we walk over, everyone else felt the same. Cars line his side of the cul de sac and down the street. You'd think with the fire chief across the street, they'd be too scared to show up, but we make the rule that no one drives unless they're sober. Everyone either has a designated driver, or they have to sleep at one of our houses. Between me, Jasper, Jake, Brady, and Emmett, there's plenty of room for people to crash.

As long as things don't get too crazy, Charlie doesn't rat us out to his buddies on the force and lets us do our thing. So far, it hasn't been a problem.

Bella's not a big fan of parties, but she'll usually still show. If she can snag a controller on whichever console people are playing on—which isn't hard to do since most everyone who went to school with us is scared of her—then she'll park it there for the rest of the night.

Tonight, though, I'm hoping she'll stick with me while I bullshit with some of my friends, and then I'll do whatever she wants.

"Cullen!" a group of guys yells as I walk in the door behind Bella, my palm resting in that spot above her ass that feels like it was made just for my hand. I lift my other hand and my chin in greeting and then scan the spacious living area. It's crowded, with small clumps of people holding Solo cups and talking and others dancing to the music pumping from the surround speakers mounted on the walls. The girls are dressed to kill, and I hope Jas remembered to lock his parents' bedroom to keep people from hooking up in there.

"Hey, Edward," a blonde girl purrs as she walks past us, throwing me a flirty smirk. Bella stiffens, and I grimace but then give the girl a tight smile. She didn't go to our high school, but I recognize her as someone who's come into the diner a few times. So I guess people from both Port A and Lincoln High are here. I even spot a few people from Peninsula. Everyone loves Jasper, and he hasn't had a party in a while, so it's not too surprising.

"Where's Jas?" Bella asks me.

"I don't know. I don't see him anywhere," I reply, scanning the room again.

Bella and I have almost always walked to J's parties together, and she's always quick to dart away from me when we arrive because she doesn't like the attention I get.

When she starts to move toward the kitchen, I grasp her hand and tug her with me to greet some of my buddies I was on the baseball team with in high school. She hesitates, so I turn and face her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, but you know I don't usually mingle or whatever," she says, jerking her head toward one shoulder and biting her free thumbnail.

Pulling her hand from her mouth, I keep hold of both her hands and step into her, dipping my head to give her a kiss.

A few people gasp, and I can guess who those people are.

I haven't dated anyone even semi-seriously in over a year, and I know there are plenty of girls at both high schools and the local community college who want the "Cullen-boyfriend experience." Enough phone numbers have been stuffed into my pockets and left on diner receipts for me to know that.

And most of those girls have always hated Bella on principle, just because she's such close friends with the five of us guys, and we were deemed some of the hottest guys in school. Doesn't make sense to me since she never dated any of us before now, but girls have always confused the shit out of me—the catty and sometimes psychotic bullshit they pull, especially.

Thank God B isn't like that.

As I pull back from Bella, she glances around and then ducks her head.

"Hey." I tilt her chin up, and she pleads with me with her eyes. I'm not sure what she's asking for, but whatever it is, I'll give it to her. I don't give a fuck about all the people around us. I pull her in close and stroke a hand down her silky hair.

Bella melts against me for a second but then stiffens and pulls away, and that familiar pain stabs at me again.

Catching her arm before she bolts, I move us to a secluded corner of the room. "Talk to me, B. What's wrong?"

She shakes her head. "This was stupid. I should've stayed home."

"What? Why? You always come to these."

"Yeah, but not as _his holy hotness'_ girlfriend," she says, not looking at me but focusing across the room from us.

Following her gaze, I spot several girls glaring our way.

No. They're glaring at Bella.

Fuck. I didn't expect this, but I'm guessing Bella did. It's starting to dawn on me the real reason she didn't dress like she normally does. She _did_ do this for me in a way, but it wasn't to torture me, although it's most definitely doing that.

She wanted to look her best because she feels like she has competition.

She doesn't. But it's up to me to keep proving that to her.

I wonder if it's possible she's feeling just as insecure as I am about our relationship. I hadn't considered that, because I've never known B to feel insecure about much of anything. When she freaked about Tanya and said all that shit about not belonging with me, I thought maybe she was trying to push me away because her feelings for me aren't as strong as mine are for her. But maybe it was insecurity all along.

That dangerous hope swells up in me again because if that's all it is, then we're golden. I know for a fact she has nothing to be insecure about, and I don't plan to give her any reason to doubt how I feel about her.

When the girls notice me looking, they shift their expressions, smile, and a couple waggle their fingers at me.

 _Ugh._

"Ignore them. They don't matter."

"Yeah, okay," she says, nodding and looking down at her shoes. She's not convinced.

Sliding my fingers into the back of her hair, I tilt her head back. "I'm serious, B. None of them matter to me. Only you matter."

Her face softens, and a genuine smile tugs at her mouth. Her lips part, but she doesn't speak, so I lean down and kiss her, deeper this time. A flood of heat envelops me instantly at the contact, and I tilt both of our heads for better access. Bella's soft moan makes everything go hazy, and before I realize what I'm doing, I have her pressed against the coat closet we were standing by, my hands on the backs of her thighs, wanting to lift her and grind.

"Christ. Get a room."

Pulling back, I glower at Jacob, who's standing a few feet from us with a redhead clinging to his gigantic arm.

"Fuck off, Jake." He and I have never had issues with each other before, but I know he's seething with jealousy. He's wanted Bella for a long time, but she's been oblivious, just like she was with me.

Shit, what if he'd said something to her before me? Would she be with him right now?

Rubbing at my chest, I turn around and keep Bella shielded behind my body. I don't even want him to look at her, much less talk to her.

But damn, I can't pull that shit. He's her friend.

"Yeah, fuck off, Jake," Bella says, stepping out from behind me. I glance at her in shock, and she scoffs at Jacob. "Like you weren't just pressed up against that skank a minute ago."

"What the fuck did you just call me, _bitch_?" the girl snarls at Bella.

"Don't fucking call her that," Jake and I say at the same time. At first, I think he's talking to Bella, but he's scowling down at the redhead.

Jake looks at me then, and I can see how much he cares about Bella in his eyes. He nods at me as if to say his duty is done and I can take it from here, though it's obvious he's not exactly jumping for joy at us being together. But I can't blame him for that. I don't know how I'd handle having to be around them if it was the other way around.

Jake looks down at the redhead, shaking his head and peeling her hand off of his arm before stalking off and leaving her standing there alone.

I glance down at Bella when she leans her head against my bicep, and she's smiling softly, watching Jake's massive frame maneuver through the crowd. The redhead growls and stomps off in another direction.

Man, for Jake to give up what was probably guaranteed pussy because of what she called Bella, even though B started the name-calling? That's a stand-up friend right there.

Wrapping my arm around Bella, I give her what I hope is a reassuring squeeze. Neither of us would ever have wanted to hurt Jake or make things weird in the group. I just hope we can all work through the awkwardness and get back to the way things were. Someday.

She gives me an appreciative smile, and I kiss the top of her head.

"Killer Beeeeeeee!" Emmett yells, bounding over to us. He thumps me on the back, almost making me topple over and take Bella down with me.

"Jesus, Em. You wasted already?" I ask.

"Just excited you guys are here… _boy_ friend and _girl_ friend," he says with an obnoxious eyebrow waggle. "This calls for shots!" he yells.

The crowd echoes his shout for shots, and before I can stop him, he bends down and hooks a meaty arm around Bella's thighs, hoisting her over his shoulder.

"This is getting old, Em," B mutters in a bored tone.

He smacks her ass, and I'd get angry if it was anyone else. Instead, I laugh and shake my head because he's done that to her a million times over the years, and as much as she bitches at him, it doesn't bother her. If it did, one of us would've put a stop to it a long time ago. Probably Bella herself, actually. She'd go straight for his nuts, no doubt.

When he turns around and heads toward the kitchen, Bella pops up and looks at me, lifting her hands up. "Hey, boyfriend!" she yells to be heard across the room and over the music. "Aren't you supposed to be saving me from this Neanderthal now?"

Laughing, I shrug, and she flips me off with both hands, but it only makes me laugh harder.

"Are you guys really together now?" a sad voice asks from my left.

Fuck.

With a grimace that I try to morph into a sympathetic smile, I turn toward Maggie.

I took Maggie to prom kind of as a favor to her brother, Colin, one of my teammates. He said she was all mopey because no one had asked her, and since I hadn't been able to convince Bella to go with our group, I volunteered as tribute.

All of us guys had tried so hard to convince Bella to go with us, but she said she'd rather chew her own arm off than have to wear a dress and sit around watching people get shit-faced on spiked punch and dry hump all night to shitty music.

I had to hand it to her because that's pretty much how it went down.

The juniors and seniors all had prom together since our school was kind of small, so a big group of us rented a limo. I thought I'd made it clear to Maggie that we were only going as friends, but she'd been clingy after that night, thinking we were dating. And I'd done the only thing that worked, which was to blow her off until graduation mercifully came.

Fucked up, I know, but I had no idea how else to handle her. I'd been honest from the start, but after prom, if I even hinted that we weren't together, she'd start crying right in the middle of the hallway at school, and her friends would glare at me like I was crushing her heart in my fist. So I had to switch to avoidance.

Even when she's come into the diner since we graduated, I've had someone else take her table. There's no way I could deal with her crying into her pancakes because I had to let her down easy for the dozenth time.

"Uh, hey, Maggie. How are you?"

Tears glisten in her eyes.

Double fuck.

"Is it true?"

It's a dick move, and I look down at my shoes to try to hide it from her. But I can't contain the smile that bursts onto my face as I shove my hands into my pockets and confirm with a nod that Bella's my girlfriend now. She just confirmed it herself as Em carried her away.

I glance back up at Maggie just as she blinks, and two fat tears roll down her cheeks.

Palming the back of my neck, I fight the urge to bolt. I never meant to hurt her, but I've never liked her in whatever way she thinks she likes me.

One of Maggie's friends comes up next to her. "You _asshole_ ," she seethes at me.

I put my hands up in surrender but don't have a chance to respond as Bella walks over with two shot glasses full of clear liquid, handing one to me.

"What'd you just call him?" she asks Maggie's friend. I think her name's Brenda, but I'm not sure. Bella stands in front of me like she's shielding me, though I'm twice her size. She rests a fist on her hip and cocks that hip out.

Oh, she's pissed.

Not sure what to do, I cup her elbow in my free hand. I don't want to put on some big display by wrapping my hand around her hip or my arm around her waist and pulling her into me, but I can't resist touching her when she's this close to me.

Brenda… Brandy? Beth! Beth juts her chin toward Bella and says, "I called him what he is: an asshole. He's strung her along for _weeks_ ," she says, curling an arm around Maggie's waist, "and now he suddenly has a girlfriend? It's messed up."

Bella shakes her head, and I give her elbow a little squeeze as a gentle message to not go off on Maggie, who's obviously hurting.

"Look, I don't even know your name."

"It's Bree," she says indignantly.

Bree. Huh. Okay.

"I didn't ask," Bella says, and Bree's neck jerks back as her eyes widen at Bella's blunt words. "And before you say it, yes, I'm a bitch. We're all aware of that, and you can say whatever you want about me. But this guy is my best friend," she says, jutting a thumb at me, "and I won't stand by and let you call him names he doesn't deserve."

"But he—"

"Have you only heard _her_ side of the story?" Bella asks, cutting off Bree's protest. Then she laughs. "Of course you have. Did she tell you he was honest with her from the beginning about them only going to prom as friends?"

"Well… no." Bree glances at Maggie, who's still crying and now has her face in her hands. "She was really excited about him asking her, and then we talked about dresses. She's liked him forever," she says like that explains everything.

We've attracted an audience, and Maggie glances around, her red face deepening in color.

"She doesn't even know him," Bella says. "He did a nice thing for her because he's a nice guy, and she twisted that into some fairytale romance because he looks like a Disney prince… or some shit," Bella adds with a flick of her hand.

I… what?

Brady, who I just noticed has been listening near us, laughs his ass off and points at my face, so I flip him off.

Maggie turns to her friend. "Can we just go? This obviously isn't going to work."

"What's not going to work?" Bella fires back.

"Nothing," Maggie mutters.

Bella looks Maggie up and down, taking in her barely-there dress.

"You thought getting him to fuck you would make him love you? Is that it? And how exactly did you plan on accomplishing that?" she asks, tilting her head in that way she does when she's just getting started on a tirade. "Were you gonna get him drunk and rub your skanky ass all over him? Maybe roofie him or some shit? Because that's the only way he'd ever fucking come near—"

Bending down, I murmur into Bella's ear, "Easy," hoping to calm her down a little so this doesn't dissolve into an actual fight.

Although I can admit the idea of two girls fist-fighting over me is hot, I don't want anyone to get hurt, least of all Bella. And this drama is just stupid anyway. I didn't even slow-dance with Maggie that night, much less kiss her or anything else that would lead her on.

Whether it's from seeing me whisper in B's ear or Bella's scathing words or maybe both, I'm not sure, something seems to snap in Maggie at that point. She lets out a deafening scream and lunges for Bella. "You greedy bitch!" she shrieks. At lightning speed, I move Bella behind me, and the alcohol in her shot glass flies out, splashing onto my shoes. Maggie doesn't touch us because Bree and another girl are quick to hook their arms around each of hers and pull her backward. Her upper body is tilted toward us, and she keeps screeching. "You've been their slut for years, and now you think you can just take Edward from me, you fucking whore?!"

"Holy shit," I whisper. This chick is crazier than I thought. And did people really think Bella was fucking all of us, all this time?

Maggie kicks her legs out, and everyone in close proximity is made aware of the fact she's not wearing any underwear.

" _Gross_ ," Bella says, but I'm not sure if it's in response to Maggie's assumption that she was fucking us guys or if it's Maggie's crotch being on display. "Get her the fuck out of here."

"C'mon, Mags," Bree says to her, pulling her toward the door.

Maggie lets out a pathetic sob as her body goes slack. Her other friend pulls the hem of Maggie's dress down, and then she and Bree escort her out.

Colin makes his way over then, and Bella moves so she's in front of me again but facing him now because I assume she thinks he might kick my ass for upsetting Maggie. And she thinks I'd let her take a punch for me? Hell no.

She would, though. I have no doubt about that.

But I know Colin, and I can tell he's not about to throw down. "I'm sorry, man," he and I say at the same time, chuckling lightly.

"I didn't know she had a crush on you or whatever, dude. I was just trying to help her out, and she usually doesn't act like this," he says, shaking his head.

I nod at him. "It's cool. My girl here came to my rescue." Bella glances back at me, and I wink at her. Looking back at Colin, I add, "I really didn't do anything to lead her on."

"I know, man. We're cool."

He walks toward the door, presumably to go check on Maggie, and we bump fists as he passes me.

Our ball team was a tight-knit group, and it's good he knows me well enough to know I wouldn't screw his sister over. Otherwise, this could've turned into an all-out brawl between us and our friends.

I'm lost in a daydream of Bella in a nurse's outfit, tending to my hypothetical bloody lip, when she turns to face me.

"Thank fuck she's gone." She points toward the front door. "That's the kind of girl who'd poke holes in the condom. Never stick your dick in crazy, E."

Looping a finger through one of her belt loops, I laugh because the only person I ever want to "stick my dick in" is the one giving me that stellar piece of advice.

"Are any more of your psycho ex-girlfriends here tonight?" she asks with a raised brow.

"She was never my girlfriend."

Bella cracks a smile. "I know. Just giving you shit." She pulls the shot glass out of my hand and downs it in one gulp, tilting her head back and exposing her throat.

Fuck, that's hot.

"Show's over!" Emmett bellows, shooing people away from Bella and me. "Move along." He comes back over to us. "You guys need a bodyguard for the night?" he asks.

Bella snorts.

"Uh, no. Why?" I ask.

"Dude, you know every single girl in this room wants to bang you. Not that that's new." He shrugs. "But now, every single girl in this room also wants to kill our Killer B, _and_ every single guy in here wants to bang her because a: they finally got a glimpse of her slammin' body, and 2: she just threw down with a girl over you. That shit's hot." He points at Bella.

I can't help but laugh. This whole situation is so ridiculous. Can't I just enjoy a party with my girlfriend, for fuck's sake?

"Let's go," Em says. "Our group's down in the basement. It's time for Drunken Twister, motherfuckers!"

"Oh, Jesus," Bella mutters.

I grasp her hand and thread our fingers together. "C'mon, baby. Let's show 'em how it's done."

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! xo**


	13. Fuzzy

**Thank you all so much for sticking with me. I appreciate it so much!**

 **Huge thanks to Sheviking, Mich Ellis, Twilly, Sophia Corgi, and Tracy Jones.**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. Everything else is mine, including any mistakes.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13 - Fuzzy**

Fuck, I'm hot. And I can't move. And I need to pee. And possibly hurl.

Why can't I fucking move?

Without opening my eyes, I jab my elbow as best I can into the weight that's pinning me down, and a groan sounds right by my ear.

I know that groan.

"Edward?" I croak. Shit, I need water. And ibuprofen. And some greasy food. After I hurl.

The sudden loss of his weight leaves me cold, and I shiver as the sweat on my back is exposed to the air.

 _Sweat on my back?_

Aaaand I'm topless. Wonderful.

What the fuck did we do last night? I don't remember much after Drunken Twister… which I kicked ass at… which also means I got wasted.

I know Jas was staying sober to make sure no one did anything epically stupid, so that's a comfort when you can't remember jack shit. But as I realize I'm also bottomless, I'm a bit less comforted.

Please, for the love of all that's holy, tell me I didn't lose my virginity last night and don't even remember it.

I don't feel sore, so that's a good sign. But still… not being able to remember what happened fucking sucks, especially because I was with Edward. I was _naked_ with Edward. And I want to remember every moment with him.

 _Especially_ naked ones.

Something tickles my right calf, and I reach down, feeling that my underwear is there, still wrapped around that leg. It brings a hazy memory swimming to the surface in my muddled brain. After pulling my underwear back into place, I peek under the covers and see that Edward's boxer briefs are still on, but they're stained and crusty on the front.

 _Liquor. Sweat. Arousal. Cologne._

 _It's a heady combination, and with Edward's weight pinning me to the bed, it's a place I never want to leave._

 _I've managed to get my shirt and bra off, and the hard muscles of his chest and stomach press me down as he sucks at my neck._

" _Please, please, please. Off," I beg, wiggling my hips._

 _He backs away and gives me a seductive smile, flicking my jeans open and then dipping down to suck one of my nipples into his mouth. His hot tongue then licks a line up between my breasts while he lowers my zipper._

" _Fuck," I breathe out._

 _The next thing I know, my underwear is dangling off one leg and his head is between my thighs. He licks up my slit and flattens his tongue against my clit, pressing and pulsating. Or maybe I'm the one pulsating._

 _Pushing my hips up to his mouth, I moan his name. And after he has me shaking and crying out, he loses his jeans and brings our hips together._

 _There's no hesitation when I reach inside his underwear, and he hisses when my hand wraps around him. I try to pull him out and inside me, but he shakes his head._

" _Not like this," he murmurs._

" _Please."_

 _Edward squeezes his eyes shut. "You're drunk, B. You don't want it like this."_

" _I do, I do, I do," I insist. "Please, E. Give it to me."_

Jesus. I begged him to fuck me, and he resisted, though he did dry hump me into another shattering orgasm.

Unf.

Still, he could've easily just slid right inside me. I was being stupid and reckless, and I would've let him do anything.

Even plastered, he was looking out for me.

My chest warms, and I watch his gorgeous face twitch in his sleep. Reaching over, I run my hand through his chaotic hair and a somewhat foreign sense of peace washes over me. I'm still staring at him and smiling like a loon when my stomach chooses that moment to emit a menacing gurgle.

Fuck, here it comes.

I bolt to the bathroom, thanking the good lord that there's no one crashed out in here or in the bedroom with us, because I'm in only a pair of blue cotton undies.

As my retching seems to be winding down, a cool washcloth lands on my neck.

"Oh, God," I groan. "Fuck, please. Don't look at me." I squeeze my eyes shut as Edward's big hand smooths over the back of my head. I shiver, and without a word, he drapes a robe over my shoulders. "Thank you," I whisper.

"Any time," he murmurs, bending to kiss the top of my head.

"You're not sick?"

"Nah, I didn't drink nearly as much as you did. You kicked everyone's ass."

"Ugh, no shit." This asshole of a hangover proves that. I stand and flush, then wash my hands and rinse out my mouth. Edward finds mouthwash in the small cabinet above the toilet and hands it to me. "Thanks."

As I swish, he asks if I remember anything from last night, and I bring up my hand and indicate with my thumb and forefinger that I remember a little.

"You were all over me," he says with a husky laugh.

"Yep. That part, I remember." I wince. "Sorry."

Edward snorts. "Hey, you won't hear any complaints from me."

The robe he put on me is still open in the front, and the heat from his eyes sears into me as he sweeps his gaze down my body.

"I don't want to fuck this up by moving too fast, but God, I wanted inside you so bad last night." He comes up behind me and traps me against the counter, and I push back against him with my ass, my body moving without conscious thought, still aching to have him inside.

"I remember trying pretty hard to get you in there," I say with a soft laugh, shaking my head at myself. I still can't believe I did that. Talk about lowered inhibitions. "Thanks for uh… stopping me."

Gripping my hips, Edward widens his stance behind me so that he can comfortably rest his chin on my shoulder. "I didn't think you'd really want our first time to be in Jas's guest room, after a game of Drunken Twister." His eyes are full of love, and he's smiling a contented smile at me.

That wave of peace washes over me again, and I lean back against him.

What _is_ that?

"Do you remember anything else?" he asks.

I think for a minute but don't remember the game ending or us coming up to the room. I just remember bits and pieces of what happened in bed between us, and a pleasant shudder runs through me as it replays in my head again.

Edward's smile transforms into his panty-wetting smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I mutter. "Stop that." He gives me the hooded eyes too, and I snort. "Dick."

He straightens and presses the hard line of that dick right into my ass, and my head tips back as I release a heavy breath.

A loud knock on the bedroom door pulls a groan from both of us, and I clutch my head in both hands.

"Emmett?" I rasp.

"Definitely Emmett. No one else knocks like they're trying to break the fucking door down." Edward kisses the back of my head, places a bottle of ibuprofen in front of me on the counter, and tells me he'll go find me a glass or bottle of water.

"Hey," I whisper, reaching out to him as he's stepping toward the doorway. "Thank you. I… Just… Thank you."

It's for so many things, and the squeeze to my hand and look in his eyes tell me he gets it.

He gets _me_. Always has.

He's in love with me, and I still can't wrap my head around that, but I want to. I want to figure out if I'm in love with him too, but I don't have a fucking clue how to actually do that.

I've never given much thought to falling in love. I never anticipated anything like this. I kind of just assumed I'd stay single for the rest of my life and be fine with that.

But now… I want to love Edward the way he deserves to be loved. I want to give him everything I can, do everything I can to make him happy.

Is that love? Like real, vomit-inducing love?

I don't know, but what I do know is that I don't want this thing between us to end. I'm almost positive that would shatter me.

.

.

"What the fuck, dude?" Edward grumbles as he opens the door, mercifully putting an end to the incessant pounding, though it keeps right on echoing in my head. Ugh.

After making sure to close and tie my robe, I leave the bathroom and sit down on the end of the bed. My gaze is instantly drawn to the shifting muscles in Edward's bare back as he pulls on his jeans after realizing he's only in crusty underwear.

Of course we were right about it being Emmett. "Hey, guys."

"'Hey, guys?'" I ask him with a scowl. "You almost beat down the fucking door, and all you have to say is 'hey, guys?'"

Em snickers. "I forgot how pissy you are when you're hungover. Good luck with that," he says to Edward, who gives him a flat look.

"What do you want, Em?"

Emmett reaches into his pocket. "I don't know how I ended up with your phone, B. Shit's fuzzy. But here." He hands the phone over to Edward. "I gotta bounce. It's after eleven, and I'm supposed to be at the store for my shift at noon. You're lucky you're off today, B. Ugh. My fuckin' head's killing me." He starts to leave but then eyes us in our disheveled states of undress. "You guys fuck last night?"

"Emmett," Edward growls.

"What? Inquiring minds want to know. Brady's money is riding on last night, but I didn't think B would give it up so fast. However… judging by all the nakedness and jacked up hair in here..."

"You guys _bet_ on when we'd have sex?" I ask, my hands automatically moving up to smooth down my hair in response to his words.

"Hey, no judging. And since when is it new for our group to bet on shit? This whole sitch started with a bet, for fuck's sake." He waggles his dark eyebrows at us. "So… did you?"

"It's none of your fucking business," Edward says.

"Okay, that means no." Emmett laughs, and Edward tries to shut the door in his face, but he blocks it with his meaty arm. "Aww, was Little Eddie suffering from some whiskey dick? S'okay." He cups his hand over his mouth and leans in, but being quiet is not in Em's skill set, so I hear him say, "Me too, bro."

Edward shoves him away. "Fuck off, dude. My dick's just fine."

Emmett notices me nodding with my eyebrows raised and backs off with his hands in the air. "Well, all right, then. I'm out. You kids have fun, but don't be making any babies. I'm way too young to be an uncle." He lets out a guffaw that makes the pain in my head scream, and then he adds, "Oh, and my money's on the night of our next bonfire, so if you could make that happen, that'd be great. Cool? Cool," he answers himself as we gape at him. He taps the door frame and then finally leaves us alone.

"I'm guessing he has no clue we're both virgins."

"Yeah, not so much." Edward hands me my phone with a smirk.

"Do _you_ remember why he had my phone?"

"Mmmaybe."

"Aaaand?"

He laughs at the confusion on my face. "You might want to check out the last video on your camera roll."

As I proceed to unlock my phone, his warm hand covers mine. "Not yet. Just… wait until you're at home."

Looking up and seeing the nervousness on his face, I stand and take a step out of his reach. "Uh, why?"

"You'll see," he replies, moving close again and sliding his hands around my waist, kissing my forehead. "I'll just say it's enlightening, but I think you might be embarrassed and won't want me around when you watch it."

Shit. What the hell did I do? He doesn't seem upset with me in the slightest, so it can't be _that_ bad. Right?

Scrunching my eyes shut, I bring my balled-up fist to my forehead, trying to will my memories to clear up.

Edward chuckles. "Don't hurt yourself." He lays a kiss on my lips and then faster than I've ever seen him move, finishes getting dressed and grabs his phone off the nightstand. "I'm gonna head home and shower after I find you some water. Call me later. If you're still speaking to me."

"Wha—"

"Love you," he says in a rush and then bolts out the door.

I'm still staring at the door when it opens again, and he says, "Think fast," before chucking a bottle of water at me.

It sails past my head as I stare at him in disbelief.

"Uh… Bella? The water?"

"Thanks," I mumble, moving to grab it off the floor.

"You okay? You didn't watch already, did you?"

I shake my head, and his shoulders relax.

How can he seem smug yet nervous at the same time?

"I seem to remember you handing Em your phone and asking him to record your 'epic victory speech,' so just remember… you only have yourself to blame."

Narrowing my eyes at him, I clutch my phone tighter as my heart rate spikes. "Seriously… tell me what the fuck is on this video, or so help you."

"Isn't it 'so help me?'"

"Not this time."

His mouth twitches like he's trying to hide a smile, and a short laugh escapes his nose, but he simply shrugs before leaving once again.

He wants me to junk-punch him. That is the only logical explanation for this bullshit.

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading! xo**


	14. Houston, We Have a Problem

**Thank you all so much for reading, and for those who take the time to share your thoughts with me, I'd buy you all Chipotle if I could!**

 **Many, many thanks to Tracy Jones, Sheviking, Twilly, Sophia Corgi, and Mich Ellis for their invaluable feedback and help!**

 **SM owns all things Twilight. Everything else is mine, including any mistakes.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14 - Houston, We Have a Problem**

"It doesn't count!" I yell as I burst into his bedroom.

"Like hell it doesn't," Edward shoots back.

It's clear he was expecting me by the utter lack of surprise on his face and the way he's standing, facing the door with one hand over his junk and a burrito bowl from Chipotle in the other.

The food makes me falter for a second because _hello, lover_. But then I shake my head and get myself back on track. "I was shit-faced!"

"Yeah. And aren't you always the one who says people are the most honest when they're drunk?"

"I…" My mouth opens and closes a few times. "No."

"You," he says, pointing a finger at my face, "have always been a terrible liar."

.

.

After Edward left this morning, I was struck dumb for a minute before I decided to screw waiting until I got home. As soon as I snapped out of it, I unlocked my phone and found my videos. Opening the last one, I stared and bit the corner of my thumbnail as my stomach churned with nerves and vodka and whatever-the-fuck else.

As soon as the video started, I had to fumble for the volume control because holy shit, my friends are some loud-asses.

It looked to be the end of our Drunken Twister game, and I'd been crowned the victor. Someone had even placed a sparkly tiara on my head, and I scowled at it because I'd never be caught dead in a tiara.

Just caught drunk in one, apparently.

Dropping my face into my palm, I peeked at the screen again as my friends chanted, "Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech!"

"Okay, okay, okay!" I said on the video, swaying and almost toppling over until Edward steadied me. "I just want to thank my parents for giving me those fuckin'ssstupid gymnastics and ballet lessons back in the day, even though I haaaaated them. Woo! Bendy!"

" _Hot_ ," Em said, loud and clear because he was holding the phone.

I rolled my eyes.

"Aaaand who else?" I tapped my chin on the video. "I prolly shouldn't thank sweet baby Jesus since I'm drunk off my aaaaass." I followed this with a loud cackle, and Edward let out an amused snort. "Oh, this guy!" I pointed at him. "Isn't he pretty? Gah."

"Oh, God," I said, watching myself smoosh Edward's cheeks together between my palms.

Everyone around us hooted and whistled at us as I planted a big ol' sloppy kiss on him right there, plain as freaking day.

I wanted to slap drunk me. I hate PDA.

I whispered something to Edward, and he had a goofy smile on his face as he looked down at me. Then he curled his hands around the back of my neck and pulled me in for another kiss, this one far less sloppy, and Brady yelled, "What'd she say?"

"Care to share with the class?" Edward asked, gesturing to our inebriated friends.

Instead of speaking, I brought my fist up to my mouth like I was holding an invisible mic, made a loud drum-beat noise, and then belted out, "And Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-ee-iiiiiii will always love yooouuuuuuu." Extending my arm straight out and leaning away, I pointed at Edward. "Iiiiiiii will allllllways love-uh youuuuuu."

"Oh. Holy. Hell. No," I said, watching on in horror as, instead of intervening and stopping me from making a total ass of myself, my friends and other people around us flicked on their lighters and swayed while I continued "singing," sounding exactly how I suspect a dying cat would sound. "This did not happen," I muttered to myself. "Nope. I reject this."

I hit the lock button on my phone and dropped it onto the bed, but the sound didn't cut out until after I'd heard myself yell, "I LOVE YOU, EDDIE PEE-PAAAAAANTS."

.

.

"I am a great liar, thank you very much." I step forward and snatch the burrito-bowl peace offering out of his hand.

He relaxes his stance after I move away from him again. "Not something to be proud of there, B. And no. You're not."

"Fuck you. Why did you do that to me?" I ask, holding up my phone to indicate the video.

"I didn't do anything," Edward says, holding his hands up.

"Like hell you didn't, Mr. Care-to-Share. Instead of stopping me, you just egged me right on. You _know_ how much I hate being the center of attention."

His lips quirk to the side. "I'm thinking you don't hate it at all, actually. I'm thinking you like it. A lot."

"I. Do. Not. And where the hell was Jas? Wasn't he supposed to keep us from doing anything stupid while we were wasted?"

Edward scratches his eyebrow. "Well… remember that chick, Alice, who went to Lincoln?"

I nod, recalling a short girl with dark hair hanging out with us once or twice during the school year.

"I think they had a thing, but then she ghosted him. And I guess she called him and asked for another chance or some shit. Not sure about all the details, but I saw him go off with her last night right after the game started."

"Ugh." After setting the bowl on his nightstand, I rub at my temples. "I'm never drinking again."

Edward steps into my space, enveloping me in his strong arms. "Is it really that big of a deal?" he asks, a rare vulnerability in his voice. "I mean, unless you didn't mean it…"

I glance up at him, but his gaze is focused above my head, either not wanting to see the uncertainty in my eyes or giving me an out.

Did I mean it? I can't remember, but I should know the answer, here and now.

"I…"

His arms go slack and drop away as I choke on my confusion.

"Listen," he says, stepping away from me and pacing toward his desk.

Fuck, he's going to break up with me because I can't just _say_ it.

Sure, drunk me can belt it out in song, so why can't sober me just get the fucking words out? What is _wrong_ with me? This amazing, sweet, intelligent, hot piece of ass loves me, and I don't know why saying it out loud scares me so damn much. He's my person, the one closest to me in the whole world, and I'm just standing here, hurting him and ruining everything.

Sheer panic rises up in me at the prospect of losing him, and it spurs me into action.

"Wait, don't. Don't break up with me. Please."

"Hey, hey, hey," he says as I rush at him and throw my arms around his waist. He smooths a hand down my hair. "That's not happening, okay? I'm not going anywhere. I'm just… taking the pressure off, yeah?" I nod with my cheek pressed to his chest, and he gives me a little squeeze. "Before you started uh… singing? If you can call it that." I poke his side, and he snorts. "Anyway, when you first whispered it to me… that was a pretty surreal moment, y'know? I didn't know how wasted you were until after that. Tipsy? Sure. I mean, the tiara and the fact you were even giving a speech… But then you went off the deep end there, and while it was fucking hilarious, it sorta burst that bubble for me." He lets out a frustrated sigh. "Which is stupid because we've really only been together for about two minutes." We laugh together, and it eases the knot of tension in my chest even more than his reassurances have. "So yeah." He shrugs, but I know he's not as unaffected as he's trying to make me believe. "It's cool if you're not ready or if you're not sure yet. No worries, okay?"

My knee-jerk reaction is to argue that I _am_ ready. I _am_ sure. And that's when it all crashes down on me—all the love that's been building up my entire life for this boy without my even realizing it.

He's always been there for me, always made me laugh the hardest, always challenged me, never made me feel weird for being a tomboy, always stood up for me when I needed it.

Turning my face to his chest, I breathe him in—that clean scent of dryer sheets and his soap—and I know I want to breathe him in forever. This right here, in his arms, is where I always want to be.

"Okay."

"Okay," he echoes, rubbing my upper arms. He starts to let go, but I don't let him.

"Wait. I mean… okay. Just…" Taking a couple of deep breaths, I shift my feet on the carpet and hold on to him for dear life. "I love you." It's muffled by his shirt, but he tightens his hold on me before gliding both hands up my back and into my hair.

Edward tilts my face up to him. "What was that?" He smirks. "I didn't catch it."

I can't hold my glare for long before my lips stretch into a smile, that sense of peace washing over me again as I gaze up at his beautiful face. "Ugh, this sucks. My face isn't listening to me now. I didn't tell it to smile like a fucking loon." I scowl but then smile again instantly. "Dammit."

Edward tilts his head back and wheezes out a laugh.

"Shut up," I grumble, backing away a step.

He puts up a preemptive shield against some kind of physical attack from me, but I'm still fucking smiling.

"I don't think I'm allowed to punch you anymore, now that we're… y'know."

" _In looooove?_ "

My snort makes him chuckle. "Yeah, that."

"You're still smiling," he points out.

"So are you," I tell him.

"Well, yeah." He widens his stance and hooks his hands around my waist. "My girl loves me. I couldn't stop smiling if I tried."

 _His girl._

I launch myself at him because yeah, he said that. Edward gives a little grunt of surprise as he catches me just before we topple onto his bed.

While I kiss the ever-loving shit out of him, I rub myself all over his hard body and pull at his clothes, frantic to be closer, though there's no space between us.

He's breathless and ruddy-cheeked when I pull back to look at him after he utters my name.

So fucking gorgeous.

"Slow down, baby." He chuckles at my pout. "I'm not exactly complaining, but my mom and Emily are home."

"Fuck," I whisper, resting my forehead on his shoulder. "I knew that. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You can attack me any time. But to be honest, if you were going for a home run, I'd need fair warning anyway, so I could jack off at least three times beforehand."

" _Three_?" I gape at him.

"At _least_ ," he says.

"Jesus."

"Yeah, well. I'd like to be in you for more than 2.5 seconds before I blow my load."

"Yeah, that'd probably be good."

He snorts, gliding his hands down my sides to rest on my hips. And since not much turns me on more than his hands, I circle those hips right over his erection, smirking at his moan.

"Shhh," I tease him.

He responds by bucking up into me and then lets out a triumphant "Ha!" at _my_ moan, damn him.

"Fuck you," I laugh.

"Later," he replies with a sexy lift of his eyebrows, green eyes full of promise.

I return his heated look, and he licks his lips.

He then gives me a pointed look, and I ask, "What?"

"Since all that's cleared up, are you going to apologize now for being such a pain in the ass and getting mad at me for shit that wasn't even my fault?"

My cheeks flush with heat, recalling how he acted this morning and when I showed up here. "You knew I was going to do that."

Edward nods, kiss-swollen lips pursed.

I have my hands on either side of his head, and I tilt my own head as I look down at him. "You sure you want my crazy ass as your girlfriend?"

He nods again, one side of his lips curving upward. "Yep. I told you. You're never getting rid of me now."

"Like a cockroach?"

He snorts a laugh. "Yes, exactly like a cockroach." Turning his head, he gives my forearm a kiss, and I shiver. "Anyway, yeah. I knew you'd pull that fuckery because you were embarrassed. It's not exactly in your nature to talk about feelings and shit."

"Right," I mutter, letting my arms fall and dropping my face to his chest. "Especially to everyone and their brother." Sighing, I peek up at him. " _So_ fucking embarrassing," I say, shaking my head, remembering how stupid I sounded. "But I shouldn't have taken it out on you, and I'm sorry."

"Well… at least you didn't punch me in the balls."

I laugh. "There is that."

He gives me a tilted smile, eyes shining with love at me.

"And…" Swallowing, I trace a circle on his chest with my finger. "I was still figuring things out, but… it sucks that _that's_ how I did it, y'know? Told you, I mean."

"I don't care about that." He smirks. "I actually kind of love that you said it in front of everyone. _And_ I have video proof."

I pinch his side, and he squirms beneath me, laughing.

I can't help but laugh with him. And there it is again. This time, there's nothing I can do to keep it from bursting past my lips.

"I love you," I tell him, this time looking right into his pretty sage greens.

Emotion swims in those eyes, and he releases a slow breath through his nose, a serene smile blooming on his face. "I love you too."

Our gazes stay locked for a moment until I shake my head. "Okay, that's enough of that. I need to go kill something. Call of Duty at Jas's? I need deets on this Alice situation."

"Tonight. He texted me earlier, and he's still with her, so I'm guessing things went well." He slaps his hands down on my ass, and I let out a startled yet aroused gasp. "And anyway, you've got a burrito bowl to eat."

"Holy shit." I push off of him and pick my baby up off the nightstand. "How could I forget about you?" I coo to it before turning my gaze back to Edward. "Love really does fuck you up, doesn't it?"

He lets out a contented laugh that makes me grin, gets up, and pulls his shirt down, broad shoulders bunching up as he re-buttons his jeans... which I hadn't realized I'd pulled open. _Whoops._ "Yeah," he agrees with one last little chuckle. "It really does."

* * *

 **So a lot of you guessed what was on the video, but I hope it exceeded your expectations, lol. Thank you for reading! xo**


	15. Google ftw

**Chapter 15 - Google ftw**

The scents of ocean and wood-smoke swirl in the air as I watch people mill around with their red Solo cups in hand.

Music blares from someone's playlist, but a few guys also have guitars out, and several girls are grouped around them on the driftwood, hanging on every strum and pluck.

Clusters of people converse and laugh, drink and make out.

It's a familiar scene. I've been to these things a thousand times, but tonight, I feel like a different person.

My eyes land on Edward then, and he gives me a lazy smirk from the other side of the bonfire just as Emmett walks up to me carrying two shots of vodka. It feels as if the heat from that fire is licking at my insides as long as my gaze remains locked with Edward's, and then icy shivers douse the flames when he licks his lips and scrapes his teeth over the bottom one.

 _God._

"...not drinking?"

With a slow blink, I shake the fog out of my head and turn to Emmett. "Sorry, what?"

Emmett narrows his eyes at me and then follows my gaze across to Edward, who's just turned back to face the person talking to him.

"I _said_ …" Em huffs, and my eyebrows rise. "How come you're not drinking?"

"Oh." I look down at the shot in my hand, not realizing I'd accepted it from him. "After what happened at Jas's party, I'm laying off."

It's been a few weeks, but that whole fiasco still makes my cheeks heat up when I think about it.

He frowns and then glances at Edward again, brows pulled together. "But…" A quiet, frustrated sound leaves his mouth.

It takes me a minute because I make the mistake of ogling Edward's ass in his board shorts, but when realization sets in, I snort and shove the shot back at Em, making some slosh out onto his shirt. "You're trying to loosen me up for Edward so you can win your stupid bet, aren't you?" Shaking my head, I scoff. "Nice try, douche."

Emmett scowls and mumbles something about having to switch tactics as he wanders off, downing both shots in quick succession.

If only he knew just how futile it was…

Moments later, "Let's Get it On" starts playing from somewhere, and I laugh, locking eyes with Edward again as everything that happened last night begins to replay in my head for the hundredth time.

"Poor Em," Rosalie says from beside me, and I jump, having been so caught up in Edward I didn't notice her approach. "He's trying so hard, but he already lost, didn't he?"

I flush from scalp to toes.

"What uh… What do you mean?"

"Oh, please," she says, inspecting her red polished nails, looking bored as ever. "It's written all over you two. I haven't seen Edward this relaxed in… well, ever, and to be totally honest, you're walking a little funny."

" _What_?" I practically screech. "I am not."

"You totally are," Tanya says with a giggle from the other side of me, and my head whips in her direction.

I had no idea she was next to me either. These people need to wear cow bells or some shit.

"Oh, my God. You have to tell me everything, Bella," Tanya says, and I blanch.

"Leave her alone, T," Rose says to her sister.

"What? It's perfect. She can get back at me for trying to bang her man, even though I didn't know he was her man." She looks at me, her light blue eyes a little glazed. "Come on, Bella. Make me jealous."

I admit it's tempting.

Because she would be _so_ jealous.

Shivering, I clench my thighs, and ow. Okay, they're probably right about me walking funny.

"I… uh…" Twisting my fingers into the hem of my t-shirt, I look over at Edward, whose head is tossed back as he laughs at something Brady said. It's cute the way Brady's eyes are lit up at making him laugh because he's always kind of had this hero-worship thing going on with Edward.

Colin, Maggie's brother, and some other old teammates of Edward's are hanging out in a group near the keg. Thank God Maggie's psychotic ass hasn't made an appearance. She will stay far away from my man if she knows what's good for her.

My eyelids droop as I stare at him, mesmerized by his Adam's apple bobbing along the column of his throat, taking in his long frame that was all over me last night, watching the wind whip his chaotic hair around so that it looks exactly how it did after…

"Jesus," Rose mutters. "It must've been good if she can't even form a sentence."

Tanya sighs. "Damn. I knew it."

A smirk pulls at my mouth, and as if Edward knows we're talking about him, he turns toward us.

Next thing I know, he's got my hand encased in his, and he's hauling me toward a huge piece of driftwood a dozen yards or so down the beach from the gathering. It's tall enough to hide us from view, and he presses me against the smooth surface.

"You've gotta stop looking at me like that, Swan," he breathes onto my face.

"Like what?" I ask, making my eyes all big and innocent and fluttering my lashes.

Edward laughs through his nose, shaking his head. His hand curls around my waist, his other arm braced above my head, and I can't stand still. Certain parts of my body want desperately to be connected to certain parts of his, and it's maddening. These clothes separating us are pissing me off.

"Think we can get out of here?" I ask him, breathless.

I'm not a big fan of parties anyway, especially if I'm sober. My boys usually drag me along, and most of the time, I end up having an okay time, but... I need Cullen naked and on top of me again.

Now.

 _ **The previous night…**_

When my mom came to my room before heading out for their Spades tournament tonight, she gave me the most obvious, over-the-top wink _ever_. I rolled my eyes hard, but yeah… she could tell something was up with me when she caught me vacuuming my room for the second time today.

After that night when Edward had crawled through my window, I'd told her I was still a virgin. Her response was to take me to get birth control because, and I quote, "That boy is too pretty for his own good, and as much as I want grandchildren someday, I'm much too young to be anyone's nana right now."

The whole thing was kind of humiliating, but I went along with it because I agree on the baby thing. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Back to that wink of hers… Edward's coming over tonight, and since it's obvious we'll have the house to ourselves for once, I'm assuming all of our parents know what's up.

So fucking embarrassing.

Charlie's probably still in denial, but I can't blame him. I think he still sees me as his snaggle-toothed five-year-old, who was always more interested in playing with the worms in the bait cup than actual fishing.

As much as he freaked out when he came home to Edward and me on the porch, I think it was more the shock and the fact my goodies were practically on display for everyone and their brother to see. Not my best moment, but jeezus. You try to keep your composure when you've got over six feet of hot Cullen pressed up against you.

Speak of the devil...

The creaky floorboard outside of my room whines its protest, and I hold my breath.

You can do this, Swan. It's just Cullen. He's not the hottest guy on the planet or anything. Nope. Just your best friend, no big deal.

 _You can do this_.

.

.

"I don't think I can do this," Bella rushes out after opening her bedroom door and pulling me inside by the hand. She's wearing her oversized 'Talk Nerdy To Me' t-shirt like a dress.

 _Hot._

And no bra.

 _Nice._

She shuts and locks the door, even though her parents are gone. "My mom almost always forgets something," she mumbles.

"Sorry, kids!" Renee yells up the stairs a moment later. "Just forgot my lucky tiara!"

Bella rolls her eyes and gestures toward her door as if to say _see?_

In the last couple of weeks, Bella's dad has been hell-bent on skipping their Spades tournaments because I'm sure he'd rather I _not_ have any of my body parts on or in any of Bella's. But in the end, he's a reasonable guy. Tonight, he just warned me not to hurt her, clapped me on the shoulder, and let me in as they were leaving.

Renee gave me this weird cartoonish wink with her mouth open, like we had some inside joke, and I tried to cover my laugh with a cough.

Yeah, she's no dummy.

I wonder if she gave B more condoms.

At least we'd actually be putting them to use tonight.

Fuck, there goes my dick again.

I wasn't lying when I said I'd have to jack off at least three times before coming over here tonight. I'd woken with a painful hard-on as usual, so there was once when I first woke up. Once in the shower. And again right before crossing the grass between our houses.

Apparently, it wasn't enough. But as long as I don't end up being a two-pump chump, I'll be happy.

Who am I kidding? I'll be happy no matter what, because I'll be inside Bella. But I want to make her feel good too, of course. I'm not a total jackass.

Or maybe I _won't_ be inside Bella, who's pacing in front of me and biting her thumbnail. Not a good sign.

"Okay, talk to me," I tell her as she straightens the covers on her bed for the fifth time since I walked in.

"I can't do it. I'm going to suck so bad. I just can't."

"B."

She doesn't answer, instead pulling a desk drawer open and rearranging things inside.

She cleans when she's nervous. It's really fucking cute.

I lean against the wall by her dresser and wait for her to stop, but when another few minutes go by and she's moved on to color-coding the clothes in her closet, I walk in there with her, turn her toward me, and fold her into my arms to halt her frantic movements.

"Hey, stop." She lets out a heavy exhale, relaxing into my chest and resting her arms around my waist. "You think _I'm_ not nervous?"

She shrugs.

"Check this out." Putting some space between us, I hold out my hand, palm down. It's actually shaking, and Bella's eyes soften before she lifts her hand to place it under mine, steadying it.

I didn't want her to know how nervous I've been about tonight. I suspected she'd freak out because it's obviously huge, and I wanted my false confidence to reassure her. But if it'll make her feel like the playing field is level, then it's all good. If you can't show your weaknesses to the one person who knows you best, who _can_ you show them to?

"Why are your hands so cold?" she asks, sandwiching my hand between hers and rubbing.

"I'm not sure. Nerves? They've been freezing all fucking day."

Speaking of which, I've been wanting to try something, and this is the perfect opportunity since Bella doesn't have a bra on.

She frowns and starts to lead me out of the closet, but I pull my hand from her grasp, step up behind her, and snake both my hands up under her shirt.

"Ahhhh," I sigh in satisfaction just as she shrieks and bats at my arms.

"Oh my God, cold, cold, _cold_! What the fuck are you doing?"

"What? Don't I get under-boob privileges now that I'm your boyfriend?"

She cuts me a disbelieving side-eye. "Under-boob privileges?"

"Yeah, don't you know how warm it is under these babies? Expect my hands to be here. A lot."

B snort-laughs, but it morphs into a moan when I shift my hands and cup her tits, pulling her harder into me as I drop my mouth to her neck. Her hair's in a ponytail, so I have full access to the sensitive skin under her hairline.

I'm hoping the distractions will work to calm both of our nerves.

Her body does nothing _but_ distract me, so that's not a problem. But most of my anxiety is about soothing hers and making this good for her.

I'm off to a good start, judging by the way she's shivering and arching into me as I work her with my lips and hands, sucking at her skin and pinching her nipples.

"Fuck, what is it about your hands?" she asks in a breathy voice, and I smirk against the skin below her ear. It sounded like she didn't mean to say it, so I don't respond other than to fill my hands with her breasts again and give them a good solid squeeze.

Bella's hand flies back and plunges into my hair as I glide one palm down her abdomen and dip my fingers into her underwear, feeling how hot and slick she is already. I just barely tease her entrance with a fingertip and then slide up to find her clit, pressing against it with two fingers and circling. She nearly collapses, back bowing and legs shaking.

"Good?" I murmur against her skin, though the answer is obvious.

With an intense shiver, she nods and whimpers an, "mmhmm."

Her shirt is so big it hangs off one shoulder, and I nip her there as I keep her anchored to me with one hand on her breast and the other on her pussy. I grind my hard-on into her ass, and she cries out as I press down hard on either side of her swollen clit. Her thighs squeeze together, and she yanks on my hair, pulling a pleasurable grunt from my throat as she comes hard for me.

I can't lie. I am one smug motherfucker when I make her lose control like this.

"God," she says, panting. "How the hell do you _do_ that?"

I wiggle my fingers in front of her face. "Mad skills, baby." She pinches my thigh, and I laugh. I don't want her to think it's because I've had a ton of practice or some shit, so I say, "Okay, real answer... I mean, we obviously have this fucking insane chemistry, right?" She hums her agreement. "But also..." I lean down and put my mouth right at her ear, hesitating and loving the way my warm breath washing over her neck makes her tremble. Then I finally whisper... "Google."

Her loud snort is adorable, and she tries to turn around to face me, but I keep her facing away and walk her toward the bed. I don't want to lose the mood now that I've made her come. And my fucking hard-on is getting painful.

Though we agreed tonight's the night, there's no way I'd ever force her to do anything she isn't sure she's ready for. But I admit I'm hoping that even if she backs out of the sex, I can at least get some hand action. She's felt me up a few more times since the night of the party, and for whatever reason, it's a thousand times better than my own hand. I can't even imagine how good her mouth would feel on me. _Holy fuck._ My cock pulses in my pants at the thought.

As much as I've wanted that, I haven't brought it up because her eyes go kind of cartoon-wide whenever she actually gets a look at my dick. She seems a little scared of it, which may not bode well for tonight's activities.

The tandem walking starts to get awkward, so I release Bella and take her hand. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I smile up at her as she stops and stands between my legs.

"This feels familiar," I say, recalling the first time we were in this position, when I was trying like hell to win our bet, despite her surly resistance.

Bella nods and rests her forearms on my shoulders as I brush my fingertips along the hem of her t-shirt, over her silky-soft thighs. I inch the shirt up over her hips and watch her eyelids droop, lips parting to release a heavy breath.

Laying a kiss on her exposed stomach, I make sure my eyes are open and on her tits when that awesome bottom curve of them is revealed beneath the bunched fabric of her shirt. That little tease and the anticipation of seeing more of them is probably my favorite thing ever.

When her nipples come into view, my mouth gravitates to one, and she moans, raking her fingers up through the back of my hair while I suck and nibble on her like I know she loves. I let her shirt rest at the top of her breasts while I give those perfect creations my full attention.

Bella starts rubbing her thighs together, restless, and it feels like my dick could conduct an orchestra, direct a taxiing plane, and then construct the frame of a house it's so fucking hard.

I hope we're on the same page now, because at this rate, I'm going to come before I even get inside her.

A needy little whine slips out of her mouth when I release her nipple and look up at her.

"Get those lips back on my nipples, Cullen," she demands.

"No."

She glowers at me, to which I smirk, only making her expression twist even more.

"How's that pussy feeling?" I ask, cupping her between her legs.

Her head falls back. "Achy as fuck, actually."

"Achy?"

Cheeks already flushed, the color in them deepens. "Like… y'know… aching for something to be… _in_ there." She gives me a _duh_ look, and my dick all but screams at me to let him get _in_ there already.

Knowing she's aching to be filled by me makes any smoothness I was hoping to convey skip out on me altogether. "So should we uh… get to it?"

"The romance," she snarks, laying her hands over her sternum. "It's killing me."

"Oh, shut it, Swan. You don't like that cheeseball shit anyway."

She shrugs before whipping her shirt off and shucking her underwear in no time flat, apparently over whatever was making her feel insecure before. "True story."

I'm not sure how long I gape at her fully naked body, but she's snapping her fingers in front of my face.

With a blink, I shake my head.

"Cullen? E? You okay? Hey. I'm ready now. Snap out of it. I need that dick, dude."

A laugh bursts out of me, but she doesn't have to tell me twice. I'm up and naked within the next three seconds.

"So um…" she says, sounding unsure again for a second as we both stare at her queen-sized bed with the quilt her grandma made for her spread across it.

Okay, not the time to be thinking about Grandma Swan.

As if reading my mind, she mumbles something about not wanting to defile it and yanks it off the bed, draping it over the chair in the corner of her room.

I watch her walk back over to me because there's no way I'd miss that show.

"Anyway," she says. "I Googled too, and I think I should be on top the… first time."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah." She avoids my eyes. "It's like I'll have more control over it and stuff. Cool?"

"Yeah, cool. So…" I pull what I need out of the pocket of my track pants and lie down in the middle of her bed, reaching out a hand to her.

Bella straddles me kind of awkwardly but keeps her weight off me. When she grabs my dick, I jerk and shudder at the pressure, but when she starts to line things up, eyes distant like she's going through some checklist in her head, I have to stop her.

Did her checklist not include a condom?

"B, wait. Hey. Relax."

Her gaze finally connects to mine again, and some kind of knot loosens in my chest. Her eyes go soft and molten all at once as she looks at me while I run my hands up and down her thighs.

She nibbles her thumbnail for a second and then says, "The website suggested lube too, to help make it less painful for me, but I couldn't figure out how to get any without causing extreme humiliation, so…" Her shoulder jerks up to her ear in a sharp shrug.

"Oh, I read that too. I've got it covered."

"You do?"

"Yep." I hold up the little packet of lube as evidence.

"Where…?"

"Emmett."

"Do I even want to know why Em has little travel packets of lube on hand?"

"Probably not."

B's mouth drops open. "Seriously? Her royal iceness? Up the ass? Really? Wow. Okay, well, don't be getting any ideas because I'm not even close to ready for _that_ yet."

That three-letter word at the end makes my dick twitch.

Not that I would know what to do in that respect at this point. I'd have to do some more Googling. It's not like porn shows the preparation part of anal sex. They just show tab A going into slot B. Or is it slot C in that case?

I digress.

Getting my head back in the game, I move to stroke between her legs, and she snaps out of whatever she was picturing in her head.

I'm sure I don't want to know, especially if it involves a naked and _thrusting_ Emmett.

Aaand there it is. Ugh.

Okay, pussy lips. Boobs. Bella's skin. Her mouth. Her long legs. Her hot little ass on my thighs.

Yes, this is working.

My dick is back in let's-hammer-some-nails territory, and she's staring at where it rests on my stomach.

"I wanna lick it," she blurts out.

"Okay," I answer because there is _no_ other answer to that, except maybe _yeah, now would be good_.

Bella scoots back and gets her legs under her, taking me in hand, and the shy glance she shoots me just before her hot tongue slides up my shaft takes me to the brink of blowing my load already.

"Okay, stop."

"Oh." She drops my dick like it burned her. "Did I do it wrong? I figured I'd just kinda treat it like a popsicle."

"Yeah, no. You did it exactly right. I was about to blow. Sorry," I pant.

Her expression shifts from unsure to smug.

"Cocky," I accuse, sitting up and flipping her onto her back and then kissing the fuck out of her.

Her body melts into the mattress as I stroke her tongue deep and slow, grinding our lower bodies together.

"I want it like this," she whispers into my mouth.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I um…" She rolls her eyes at herself. "I like it when you're on top of me, okay? There. I said it. Plus, I don't want to move wrong and break your dick off or something if I'm on top."

I snort and reach for the packets on the edge of the bed. "I'm sure that wouldn't happen."

She gives me a dubious look. "This is me, remember? The girl who managed to shave skin off her own ass by dropping her razor and then falling on it? Do we not recall this?"

Dissolving into hysterics, I rest my forehead against her shoulder, and she shakes with her own laughter underneath me.

Oh, shit. Bella's underneath me.

Naked.

Sobering, I look into her deep, dark eyes. "I want to make this good for you, but I…"

"Shhh," she soothes, pushing a hand into my hair and scratching lightly. "I know. It's okay if it's not. I just want you inside me."

I come. Hard and suddenly and all over her stomach. Those words, plus the fact my dick was sandwiched between us, and we weren't exactly lying motionless, well…

"Fuck me," I mutter, embarrassed beyond belief.

"I will," she says without missing a beat, matter-of-fact and with no judgment. "After we clean up."

After a thorough wipe-down with a warm washcloth, we're back in her bed, and I'm still hard, aching to sink into her warmth.

"On the plus side, I might last more than two seconds inside you now."

"Sweet," she says, and I chuckle.

I fucking love this girl so damn much.

Condom on and dick lubed up, I position myself and try to capture this surreal moment in my mind, in the don't-you-ever-fucking-forget-this file.

I watch her face as she watches me work my way in. When her features scrunch even a little, I stop. And when she blows out a breath and glances up at me, I go a little more.

"Fuck, this hurts more than I thought it would. You just had to have a gargantuan dick, didn't you, Cullen?"

I let out a weak laugh and pull a face but otherwise don't respond, my stroked ego warring with my guilt at causing her pain.

I knew my dick was on the big side, but gargantuan is pushing it. I think maybe she's just built small.

"Okay," she says with an irritated sigh. "I think you gotta just go. Rip the Band-Aid off." She makes a circular motion with her hand. "I think this slow shit is just making it worse."

Closing my eyes so I don't have to see her face when I do it, I slide all the way in with one smooth thrust.

She yelps, and I flatten my body to hers, hugging her tight. She's shaking.

 _Shit._

And I'm trying not to lose it again now that I'm actually in her.

 _Double shit._

"Ow, ow, ow, ow. OW." Bella slaps my shoulder and then digs the nails of every single one of her fingers into my skin.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," I chant in her ear, trying to stay still and not let her know how much that stinging pain turns me the fuck on.

 _Hot. Wet. Tight. Tight, tight, tight. So so so very tight. Oh, fuck._

"Maybe try more lube?" she says in a weak voice.

Neither of us was sure how much to use, so I only used a drop because it seemed like a little went a long way.

Now, I squirt every bit of that fucker all over me and her.

And when I slide back in, she sighs.

"Better?" I ask.

"Yeah. Still weird, and there's pressure. But not as much pain." She exhales. "Thank you."

"God, B. I should be thanking _you_. You have no idea what this means to me. It's..." I shake my head, at a loss for words.

Looking up at me with those pretty eyes framed with thick lashes, she strokes the hair at my nape. "It's everything."

"Yeah." I get my arms under and around her again and hug her to me, fusing us together in every way. "I love you," I whisper, slanting my mouth over hers and pulling my hips back just a bit.

She gasps when I slide back home, and I start to move off of her, not able to take these pained sounds from her anymore.

"No!" Frantic, she hooks her hands over my shoulders and pulls me back down. "That was a good gasp. God, please stay in me."

"Okay," I reply on a shaky exhale, moving to rest my elbows on either side of her head. Leaning down, I kiss her and move my hips again, a slow slide out and back in. My eyes roll back. "Fuck, you feel good. Jesus, I can't…"

"Just…" she says, squirming her hips around and making me grit my teeth. "More."

I watch her face as I slide out farther and then back in. No scrunching or wincing. That's good. If I can focus on her facial expressions, maybe I can ignore the fact my balls are already tightening with the threat of release.

 _Damn._ I was hoping to be able to last and make her come even though it's her first time, but I knew it was a long shot.

"Ohh," she moans on my next thrust.

"B," I grit out. "I'm… Can I go faster?"

I've been doing my best to keep from hurting her, but the sounds she's making are fucking killing me. Not to mention the fact she keeps sinking her blunt nails into my skin every time I push into her.

"Yes, go. Fuck me."

"God, I don't think… I mean… _Fuck_." I lay both palms over the top of her head, my elbows still braced above her shoulders, and press my cheek to her temple. Stilling my hips so I don't pound the ever-loving shit out of her, I take a deep breath.

"I'm okay," she says as I scrunch my eyes shut and try to get my bearings. She makes me dizzy. Always has. "E. Look at me. I'm okay. It feels mostly good now, and I want to feel you come while you're in me."

"Yeah, I don't think that's going to be a problem." We both laugh, and I almost come right then because her laughter makes all her muscles contract.

All. Of. Them.

"Shit."

"You okay?" she asks.

I clear my throat and pull out of her. "Yeah."

"Hey, get back in there." She pouts, and I smile at her before pulling that plump bottom lip between my teeth. She grunts at the nip of pain, so I soothe it with my tongue, losing myself in her sweet mouth for long minutes. Her hips undulate up against me, and I need to get back inside or she won't get what she wants. What we both want.

Out of breath, Bella watches me line myself up and push back inside, her back arching and fingers clawing at her sheets when I'm in to the hilt.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I say through clenched teeth. She feels too goddamn good.

Running my hands all over her soft skin, I drop my face next to hers and grind into her, pumping out and back in a few times, shaking with the effort to hold back my orgasm just a little longer.

Bella suddenly sinks her nails into my ass, canting her hips up so I slide in so so so deep. "Edward," she croaks out, and it's my undoing.

Shuddering and jerking against her for I have no idea how long, I come back to my senses and lay my lips against her ear. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I wanted—"

"You're perfect," she whispers, cutting me off.

"Thank you—for... yeah, everything," I whisper back to her, pressing a kiss behind her ear.

After taking care of the condom, I come back to lie down next to her. At the same time, we both reach up to smooth the hair off of each other's sweaty foreheads, and we chuckle at our synchronization.

"You didn't uh… come, right?" I don't think she did, but I was so overwhelmed by the feel of her around my cock, her skin against mine, her hot breath washing over me, that I'd have missed it even if she'd yelled in my ear that she was coming.

"No," she says, averting her gaze. "But that's normal, right?" She looks back at me, and I'm hit square in the chest by her natural beauty because everything feels overwhelming at the moment. I have to take a deep breath because she straight-up just stole all the air from my lungs. "I mean, especially for the first time," she continues. "I think the website said that."

Scratching the back of my neck, I nod. "Yeah, but I still feel shitty. I've had two, and I only gave you one."

"So you owe me," she says with a smirk.

That smirk is wiped off her face, her mouth going slack when I turn her on her left side, pull her flush against my body, and drop my hand to her pussy. I leave her entrance alone, figuring she's got to be sore, and search out her clit with two fingers, rubbing tight circles once I'm on it.

I'd go down on her if she weren't covered with lube and likely tasting like latex, but she does love my hands, so I'm going to put them to good use.

Bella's neck is in the crook of my arm, and I realize my hand is brushing her right breast, so I palm it and squeeze, holding her against me and pulling the sexiest fucking sounds out of her. When I part my fingers and slide them over her slick flesh, alternating stroking and squeezing the sides of her clit, she gives an actual shout of pleasure.

" _Yes_ , baby." I let out an appreciative grunt and pull her nipple, scraping my teeth over her shoulder.

Harsh breaths leave her parted lips, and she writhes, gripping my forearm with one hand, the other about to rip a hole in her sheet, back arching and eyes screwed shut.

Hard as a fucking rock again, I grind into her ass, which proves to be a mistake because when she falls apart in my arms with a hoarse cry, I'm back to owing her one.

Fuck, how the hell did I still have more cum left?

"Jesus," she pants, working to catch her breath, skin flushed and chest heaving. She could not be more gorgeous if she tried. I grimace at the mess I've made all over both of us, but she just lets out a light laugh and turns her head to look at me with a sated smile. "Google for the motherfucking win."

* * *

 **Thank you all so much for reading, and huge thanks to my awesome babes, Sophiacorgi, Sheviking, twilly, Mich, and Tracy!**


	16. Endgame

**SM owns all things Twilight.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16 - Endgame**

"Think we can get out of here?"

God, does she have any fucking idea what she's doing to me? Those eyes… that mouth… that low, husky voice… I've been hard since the minute I heard the rumbling engine of her truck pull up, for fuck's sake.

And then she just _stared_ at me from across the bonfire until I couldn't take it anymore and went all caveman on her, pulling her away for some privacy.

Luckily, that didn't piss her off.

She had to work today, so we hadn't seen each other since late last night. After…

 _Fuck_.

Bella and I fell asleep together for a little while, but thankfully, I got out of there before her parents came home. I don't even want to imagine how awkward it would've been if I hadn't. I still don't know how I'm going to look Charlie in the eye from now on. And Renee… I'm guessing she would've tried to high-five me or some shit, and yeah... _nope_.

I would've much rather stayed with Bella all night, but we weren't sure how our parents would feel about that, even though we're eighteen. Plus, with her having to work this morning, she needed some sleep, and let's face it. There would've been absolutely no way in hell I could've kept my hands or other parts off of her. I'm sure she was sore, but I guarantee I would've been dry-humping her half the night, at the very least.

As I adjust my dick in my shorts for what feels like the millionth time tonight, Bella tracks the movement and licks her lips.

She's seriously going to kill me.

I am going to die of a perpetual hard-on and never even make it to college.

"Drama queen," she says because I definitely groaned and mumbled something about dying.

Not the first time she's called me that. Won't be the last.

"You gonna quit whining and let me take care of that for you?" she says, running the back of one finger up the hard line of my cock. "My truck has _so_ much room…"

Wow, I think that might be the first time I can say my dick legit _jumped_ , like it just knew it was about to get to dive into something warm and wet.

"Yes. Yes, I am, you evil woman. I've been sporting wood since you got here, and you keep looking at me like I'm a giant steak burrito bowl or some shit, so it's getting painful now."

B licks her lips again, most likely picturing me covered in guacamole.

"Awww. Poor baby," she croons.

"Shut it, Swan. This is all your fault." My eyes rake down her body. "Can't stop thinking about what's under those hideous clothes."

Her chocolate eyes roll, but a smirk plays at those cherry lips.

Yanking her to me, I suck that bottom lip between my teeth, pulling a deep moan out of her mouth.

Fuck yeah. I _live_ for those unguarded reactions from her.

I let my hands roam down over her ass, but before I start humping her right here against the driftwood, she steps out of my hold and grasps my hand, leading me toward the small parking area in the trees beyond the sand.

As we near her truck, Bella turns and walks backwards, still holding my hand, with a gleam in her eye that I've never seen before.

I spot Jacob then, walking to the beach from his car, but he quickly averts his gaze, his expression turning stony. He's been avoiding hanging out with us since Jas's party, which sucks, but Brady says to just give him time to get over it on his own.

Bella doesn't see him, her eyes laser-focused on me. Her back collides with the passenger door of her truck, but she keeps pulling so that _I_ collide with _her_. Dipping low, I capture her lips again. She tastes so goddamn sweet.

Just as B finally manages to open the door after I've kissed the hell out of her and my balls are absolutely aching, Emmett pops up out of nowhere.

"Hey, kids. Whatcha doin'?"

I level him with a flat look. "What does it look like, genius?"

His eyes wander to my crotch, which I instantly cover with both hands, and Bella steps in front of me to block his view like it's _her_ raging boner to protect.

Guess that's accurate.

"Looks like I'm about to win the bet," he says, wiggling his eyebrows.

I pull my lips between my teeth to hide my smile as B walks over to him, standing on her tiptoes and reaching way up to pat him on the head. "Aww. You're so pretty."

Em swats at her hand. "The fuck?" He narrows his eyes at us—at our smug-as-hell expressions—and things finally click into place. "Aw, mannnn," he whines. "You already fucking did it, didn't you? Sluts," he grumbles, folding his arms over his chest and pouting like a gigantic two-year-old.

"Um, you're the dumbass who told us when you bet we'd do it," Bella points out.

He opens his mouth, but the protest dies in his throat when he appears to remember doing just that. Why the hell would he think we'd help him win?

"When?" Emmett asks, defeated.

"None of your business," I say at the same time B says, "Last night."

We glance at each other and grin.

"Gross," Em says at our display. "And you just had to do it the night before. Just _had_ to rub in it, huh?"

"Uh, yeah," we say in unison and grin even bigger at each other.

"Assholes." He frowns. "Ugh, it's gonna suck balls having to hang out with you guys now that you've fucked, isn't it? I mean, it's been bad enough for the last few weeks, what with B sitting on your lap and shit, but now? _Ugh_. You're gonna be wishing you were fucking the whole time we're all together." His frown deepens, and then he points at us, shouting, "Life-ruiners!" before storming off.

Bella and I blink at his retreating back and then burst out laughing.

"Well, he's not wrong. I mean, naked Swan or video games in a fart-filled basement? Hmm," I say, moving my hands like I'm weighing the two options on a scale. "Gonna have to say naked Swan would win every time."

She purses her lips, though one side is fighting to tug upward. "Even if it's _Mass Effect_?" she asks with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

Damn. _Mass Effect_ _is_ my favorite.

But yeah.

Grasping the loose fabric of her big t-shirt at the waist, I tug her against me, and I know I'm sporting a goofy smile, but I can't find a fuck to give. "Even if it's _Mass Effect_."

.

.

College is fun—freedom and parties and getting to fuck like bunnies any time we want. And weird—nothing can really prepare you for the eclectic mix of people you'll meet at a large university when you've grown up in a small town. And harder than we expected—neither of us ever had to study much in high school, but it's a different story here.

I'm homesick a lot, but so is Bella, and she anchors me. I hope I do the same for her.

Today's my first college ball game.

Deep breaths.

"Okay, dude." Bella stands in the doorway of my tiny dorm room and claps her hands once before rubbing them together. "Time to make the chimi-fuckin'-changas."

I pause midway through stuffing my cleats and glove into my duffle and turn to look at her standing there in an oversized t-shirt with my number on it. Fuck. "Just when I think I couldn't love you any more, you go and quote _Deadpool_." I put my hand over my heart and tilt my head back to look at the ceiling, pretending to blink away tears.

Bella snorts at me. "Yeah, I know. I'm awesome. Just keep remembering that when all your _fans_ are trying to get in your pants," she says with a derisive side-eye out the window, like there are droves of girls lying in wait to pounce on me or some shit.

Silly girl.

Even if there were, she has to know by now that I only have eyes for her.

I mean… I'm not saying I've never looked at another girl. That'd just be a blatant lie. But there is nothing and no one in this world that could make me give up what I've got with Swan.

.

.

"I'm gonna miss you. So fucking much."

Holding her head to my chest, I stroke down her soft hair. "Me too." My voice cracks, but I can't help it. This sucks more than anything ever.

But I can't pass it up.

It's a step toward the majors, and even if it's against the odds that I'll ever make it there, my coaches say I've got potential, so I have to at least _try_. And I'll be back for our senior year. I know B would come with me if she could, but she was able to snag a summer internship with Blizzard in California. And I guess we'd better get used to the long-distance thing because if I'm good enough, I could at least move up in the minors, and who knows where I'll play?

Bella wants to go to grad school here too. And UDub is one of the best schools for her program. A masters in computer engineering will give her almost unlimited job potential after graduation. So she's staying here at least another three years.

And I'm going.

At the moment, it's to freeze my nuts off in the middle of Montana, of all places.

At least it's only for the summer. But June in Billings isn't exactly warm.

"Go Mustangs," she says with a half-hearted fist-pump and a shaky voice.

I squeeze her even tighter.

.

.

I'm not gone all the time. I have a few seasons under my belt now and have moved back home, back to Bella in between. I've been back home since November, but I still sometimes forget where I am when that first morning light stirs me from sleep.

On Christmas morning, I'm disoriented for a brief moment as I wake up to dark hair tickling my nose.

Bella's apartment.

Her bed.

Her.

I guess it's our apartment again now. Our bed.

Remembering what I've been wanting to do since the moment I realized I was in love with her, I roll stealthily out of bed and open my underwear drawer, letting my hand close around the small box that's been tucked into the back corner for over a month now, burning a hole in the particle board and my mind.

I don't lift the comforter. A draft would wake her, so I slither under, find her left hand, third finger, and slip the ring on while she's still sleeping. And then I slide back up to my pillow and pull her toward me. She grumbles, and I chuckle into her ear.

"Merry Christmas," I tell her in my sleep-scratchy voice.

B shivers and slings a leg over my hip.

But then she goes slack with sleep again a few seconds later.

I huff an impatient sigh and run my hand down to her thigh, hitching her leg up to my waist. Walking my fingers back down toward her ass makes her squirm, and I smile in triumph as she gives me a throaty moan once I get under her boy-shorts.

Pumping two fingers into her lazily, I run my nose over her jaw, moving her hair off her face. Without warning, she reaches down to give me a hard stroke through my boxer briefs, and I let out a surprised " _fuck"_ against her neck.

"Merry Christmas," she husks with a smug smile evident in her voice.

We maneuver with practiced ease until she's under me on her stomach, pinned by my weight the way she loves, and I'm thrusting into her with a hand wedged underneath her pelvis, fingers pressed to either side of her clit in the way that makes her scream.

She doesn't disappoint and almost head-butts me when her orgasm hits because I'm busy dusting her neck and shoulders with open-mouthed kisses. But I move just in time, and I'm not done with her yet. Keeping my hand where it is, I lift her onto her knees and plunge back into her slick heat.

I know from experience that she's had her eyes closed this whole time.

I smack her ass, and she bucks back into me.

"God, I love being inside you."

B lets out this sweet little mewling sound and squirms on my dick.

"Fuck yourself on my cock."

She does—slides back and forth on my dick, tilting her hips, and it's fucking heaven. I throw my head back and dig my fingertips into her plush ass cheeks.

She doesn't talk much during sex, but we've come to learn that she _loves_ it when I do. And as it turns out, she likes it a little rough too.

Another slap to her right ass cheek makes her clench around me. "Mm, that sweet pussy. _Fuck_ , Bella."

When I grip her hips hard, she stills, waiting as I bury myself deep inside her and stay there. The anticipation makes her tremble, and I move my hands to stroke the smooth skin of her sides, sneaking underneath to palm her breasts. She moans and drops down onto her forearms, so I straighten up, wrapping my hands around her hips once more.

And I let loose—slamming into her while pulling her onto my cock, nailing her G-spot again and again, and she's got her face buried in the mattress now, muffling her keening cries so the neighbors won't bang on the wall like they did last night.

She doesn't notice the ring until we're both panting, me lying half on top of her back, the fingers of both our hands entwined. I kiss her sweat-slick shoulder just as she lets out a loud gasp, followed by, "Holy _shit_ balls."

I grin. There's my B.

"What the fuck is this, Cullen?"

My balls threaten to shrivel up. Fuck. "What? D'you hate it or something?"

She _has_ to know what it is. We've been together for years, and she's known since our first date that I've wanted to marry her.

"Seriously." She shoves me off of her and hops up, and I stare at her boobs because well, I can see them. "I can't—What the fuck is this?"

Maybe she needs some coffee, because damn. "Some might call it an engagement ring."

"I…" she starts but seems to have no idea what to say to that.

I prop myself up on one elbow and lock eyes with her. "Marry me."

It's not a question because there _is_ no question. At this point in our relationship, we've been through shit that probably should've left us in ruins, but we only get stronger.

I only ever love her more than I did yesterday.

Bella's eyes get big and sparkly.

Relief floods me, and I smile.

"Marry me, B."

Her head tilts, eyebrows pull together, chin quivers as she fights off the tears.

"Well, _duh_ ," she says before launching herself back onto the bed. Onto me. I catch her with my free arm and bury my face in her hair because my cheeks might be a little wet at the moment.

I'm not embarrassed, though.

It's a big fucking moment.

"Also," I say after we lie there, breathing and sniffling and holding each other for a small eternity, "I've been called up to the majors."

" _What_?" she shrieks, and I cover my ear with a wince.

She moves away, and next thing I know, she's slamming a pillow down on my head.

"Why didn't you say anything before now? How long have you known? Which team? Oh, my God, is it Seattle?" Her rapid-fire questions are punctuated by the pillow coming down on me.

Laughing, I move my hands to block her. Not because she's hurting me but because she's still naked, and things are bouncing around, and my dick is very interested in _that_.

After my short season in Billings, I came back for senior year, graduated, and then got to move to a Class A Advanced team in Modesto, California for the next full season. My team was literally called the Nuts, and of course Bella and the guys never stopped giving me shit about it. The next year took me to triple-A in Tacoma, and it was amazing to be back home. Bella and I were able to live together in a shitty studio apartment during that time, and it was honestly the best time of my life until now.

And then came the Arizona Fall League—reserved for the minor league's top prospects. It was my big chance. And when I pitched more than a few no-hitters, that clinched it for me.

Reaching out, I pull her down to me.

"You're looking at the newest relief pitcher for the Mariners."

Bella pops back up onto her knees. "No. Fucking. Way!" she shouts. "YES!" This is followed by rapid fist-pumping, and yep, still naked.

I'm staring at her tits when she freezes and looks right at me. Busted. "Hey, focus." She snaps her fingers in front of my face. "I don't have to sit with the WAGs now just because it's the majors, right?"

I laugh and flick her on the forehead. "Selfish, much? I think a congratulatory BJ is in order, don't you?"

"I literally _just_ put out."

"And?"

"And jeez, gimme a minute, will ya? And I'm the selfish one?"

She rolls back out of bed, snagging her robe off the hook on the closet door—boooo—and flipping me off on her way to the bathroom. Hand still in the air, she looks back over her shoulder at me with a wicked smile, and the wave of happiness that rolls over me is so intense I rub my chest.

I still can't believe I get to stay in Seattle. It helped that my triple-A team was a Mariner affiliate, but still. I feel like I should be shitting out four-leaf clovers right now.

.

.

"I knew it! Finally! I win! Booyah, mothafuckas!" Emmett crows as Alice and Tanya shriek over the diamond-and-sapphire ring on Bella's left hand.

After a nice Christmas dinner at my parents' house with the Swans, at which our mothers cried happy tears and even our fathers' eyes were suspiciously wet at hearing our news, Bella and I headed over to Jasper's house. He and Alice are house-sitting while his parents are on vacation in Aruba, so we're gathered in the roomy basement.

I've already snagged a beer and a recliner, just like old times.

"Oh, my God, I'm so happy for you guys!" Tanya says, clapping.

"I'll help you plan!" Alice cuts in, holding B's hand and tilting it back and forth. "I still have my wedding binder. This'll be so much fun!"

"You did _not_ win," Brady says to Em, after checking a small piece of paper he pulled from his wallet. "You bet Christmas Day, but you bet on it three years ago, dude."

"Still counts!" Emmett fist-pumps with a hop. "Pay up, bitches."

Everyone suddenly finds the floor or walls quite interesting.

"God, you guys _suck_." He flops onto the couch and proceeds to bitch about the unfairness of it all.

Rosalie steps toward him after making herself a martini at the recent wet bar addition to the basement. "Congrats, you two," she says, raising her glass to us with a warm smile, and I tip my beer bottle at her. "Come on, you big baby," she says to Em, trying to pull him off the couch to no avail.

He flings a forearm over his eyes. Seriously. And I'm the dramatic one?

"The only thing that could make me feel better right now is one of B's epic BLTs with avocado," he says with faux tears in his voice, peeking over at Bella to gauge whether or not she's taking the bait.

She flips him off. Would probably be a double-bird if Alice wasn't still holding her left hand.

"Jesus, Em. Leave her alone. We just ate before we got here." Rose nudges him over so she can sit and rolls her eyes when he lays his head on her shoulder. But then she scratches her fingers through his short hair lovingly, and I grin.

She and Emmett broke up when she went to college at UCLA and he stayed here. But she moved back after finishing her degree, and they're newly dating again. I hope it works out for them because I think she's good for Em, and he brings some lightness and fun to her life.

Jacob walks in with his fiancée, Rachel, and fist-bumps everyone on his way over to where I'm sitting. As soon as we got here, Emmett sent out a group text to tell everyone that I'd finally gotten my head out of my ass and proposed. Pretty sure he tweeted it too.

With a thousand-watt smile on his face, Jacob holds his fist out to me, and I meet it with mine. He started at UDub the year after Bella and me, but that time away from us had helped him get over his crush on B, and we were all able to hang out like normal again. He was also around a lot when I was away for baseball, and I admit I got prickly at times, but I knew I had nothing to worry about. It was just the fact that he could be there with her when I couldn't that really got to me.

"What took you so fucking long, man?" Jake razzes me, thumping me on the chest.

"Shut it, dickweed," I say, but there's no bite to it since I can't wipe this goofy-ass smile off my face. "I wanted to be able to afford a decent damn ring. You know minor league pay is shit."

"You know B wouldn't've cared, man," he says quietly, leaning toward me. "She's so chill she probably would've been happy with a piece of wire wrapped in electrical tape."

We laugh together. "I know. But I wouldn't have. And I guess I wanted to wait until things were more settled. I made it, Jake. The Mariners, dude."

"You WHAT?" His face lights up even more. "Dude!"

"What? What?!" Em scrambles over to us. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you guys in a minute." I don't want to steal B's thunder, though it kind of looks like she might want me to.

I can't hide my laugh when I look over to her and see that Tanya and Alice _both_ have their hands in B's hair, twisting it into different styles as she scowls at them.

Once Alice became a permanent fixture in the group, Bella tried to give her a chance. They didn't like each other much at first, being such polar opposites, but now, they love each other like sisters.

Sisters who constantly bicker, that is.

"Alice, I swear to _God_ ," Bella says through gritted teeth.

Alice ignores her because they have this symbiotic relationship in which Bella indulges Alice's whims but reserves the right to bitch about it the whole time. "Oh, yes. Definitely a veil, but maybe just blusher length," Alice says with a nod, and Tanya bobs her head in agreement.

Bella sends me a _please rescue me_ look, and Jake gives me room as I leap out of the chair, moving in swiftly and wrapping my arm around her waist. Jasper walks over at the same moment with fresh drinks to distract Alice and Tanya with, because he's still smooth like that and always ten steps ahead of everyone else.

I toss him a grateful smile, and he winks at me.

Kissing Bella on the temple, I tug her over to the recliner to sit in my lap. She lays her head on my shoulder and whispers in my ear, "We're totally eloping to Vegas, right?"

Huffing a laugh through my nose, I nod. "Definitely."

Her warm breath gusts against my neck, and she squeezes my torso with the arm she slung over me. "Thank _fuck_."

Chuckling, I tighten my hold on her and wonder for the millionth time how I got so damn lucky. To have these people in my life. To be able to make money doing what I love. To have the girl of my dreams in my lap, who's now wearing my ring.

I let out a satisfied sigh and take a swig of beer.

"Okay," Emmett says, clapping once to get everyone's attention. "We need to get a new bet going for old time's sake. All you married old fogies are borrrring." He fake-snores.

"Hey!" several people protest in unison.

Em walks over to the closet in the corner and opens the door, poking his head inside. "Ohhhh, _shit_. Yes," he says, covering his mouth and practically giggling. "It's time, ladies and gents."

Bella stiffens in my lap when he turns around with the Twister box in his hands, and a couple of ' _oooo_ 's sound around the room. "Fuck you, Emmett McCarty," B spits, and I kiss the top of her head, stifling my laughter.

She still gets embarrassed any time someone brings up that video.

I try to contain myself, but of course I fucking _love_ that video.

"Aw, c'mon. Where's my Killer B?" Emmett goads.

He's trying hard to get her to smile, but Bella seems to be trying to murder him with her eyes.

"I bet you twenty bucks I can beat you at drunken Twister, and hey—even if you start er, _singing_ again, we've all heard it already, so there's no harm in it, right?"

"Nope," she says, shaking her head. "Not happening."

"But you're the reigning champ, B. Group rules. I can't challenge someone else." Face scrunched and pleading, he drops his head back on his shoulders before straightening back up. "Come. _Onnnnn_. It'll be fun. Please?"

As Bella sits in stony silence, his smile falls, his shoulders deflate, and he drops the box to his side, lowering his eyes but glancing up at her every couple of seconds to see if there's any sign of her changing her mind.

"Aw, shit," I say, jostling her in my lap. "I can't take that kicked-puppy look on his face anymore. Have pity on the big guy for once."

Bella turns her glare on me, but I just give her a winning smile.

"Ugh, I hate you. I'm _so_ not bendy enough for this anymore."

She starts to get up, but I squeeze her hips and drop my mouth to her ear, thinking of exactly how _bendy_ she can be in bed.

I go instantly half-hard in my jeans, and B shivers in my lap as my next word comes out in a whispered rush of air against her skin...

" _Liar._ "

* * *

 **The End**

 **Thank you so much for reading! I had so much fun writing this, and I hope you enjoyed! I unexpectedly ended up doing hours of research on minor league baseball, because it's much more complicated than I realized, lol, so hopefully, I didn't mess anything up there. All mistakes are mine.**

 **Eternal thanks to my awesome prereader friends! You guys help me so much, and I can never thank you enough.**

 **Until next time, lovelies. xo**


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